


Absent Marigolds

by Bewildered_Wanderers



Category: Loki: Agent of Asgard, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Anxiety, Branding, Canon Divergence - Avengers (2012), Dark Loki (Marvel), Depression, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Gaslighting, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Harm to Children, Heavy Angst, Loki (Marvel)-centric, Loner Reader, Mind Control, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Near Death Experiences, No Romance, No Smut, Other, Paranoia, Platonic Relationships, Self-Harm, Suicidal Thoughts, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Threats of Violence, gender neutral reader, teenage reader
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2019-07-05 05:24:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 24,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15857085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bewildered_Wanderers/pseuds/Bewildered_Wanderers
Summary: As an intern of Stark industries, you assumed you were ready for everything. But when Loki began his attack on New York, your ideas quickly change for the worse.He'd been watching you for quite some time. Your advanced knowledge in electronics and robotics would be very beneficial to him and his work.So he takes you.How will you survive Loki's tyrannical reign?





	1. Morning Glory  (Prolouge)

**Author's Note:**

> Ayyy the old warning was really cringe lol so here's a new one.  
> My friend and I are really fucked up so while reading this be on the lookout for a bunch of fucked up shit.  
> No Romance is in this thing. At all. Truly platonic. If you can even call it that. Uhhhhh have fun in hell.  
> -Ernie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Notes before we get started.  
> This isn't a romance. That's a given.  
> I hate the spacing on this website so I tried to fix it. It didn't work. So if you notice anything bizarre, that just so happened to be a mistake I missed.  
> \- Ernie

New York was in a total state of disarray, more than usual. This wasn’t its mundane busy streets, the smell of cigarette smoke, and taxi cabs. No, this was Hell.

You sat on the top floor of Stark Tower. As Stark’s apprentice in science in engineering, you had made a few robots to aid in the battle. Mr. Stark didn’t want you in harms way. Which left you with two options. Hide like a coward and die a casualty, or fight through RC robots. If you so happened to die in this type of combat, you wouldn’t die a civilian, you’d die a hero.  
Well, a nameless hero. A reluctant hero. A kid. But that’s unimportant.

If your robot just so happened to get dismantled in the process, you had an entire army at your disposal. All that’s due to a lack of friends, and an abundance of free time. An insignificant “flaw” could aid in this world’s ass being saved.

You’re welcome.

Everything had been going smoothly as of now. A few civilians saved, a few aliens dead, it was as good as it was going to be for a while. Little did you know, that was going to be your most peaceful moment for god knows how long. But that all went on its head.  
The next thing you knew, your robot had been face to face with a chitari’s repulsive mug. It seemed to be cupping the robot’s head, inspecting it with a keen, almost entranced interest. Then the screen was met with white noise and static. It had been dismantled. Oh well. You had almost fifty more.  
You looked down at the others and checked up on them via an earpiece.

“How’s everything going down there? Are you all alive right now? Nobody’s been Loki’d or anything?” You asked and looked through all the bugs you had asked Stark to plant so you could keep a watchful eye over the battle. You warned others when something or someone was nearby. You didn’t see much right now, the normal for the current situation.  
But that’s when you saw him. Loki, barking orders from the air and shooting people down and blocking exits. But then he was handed the robot’s head. Your robot’s head. Loki laughed. Well, you could only assume was a laugh. He pointed at the tower. He could see you.

  
Your stomach dropped. It took you a few moments to stop panicking and get back to saving things. You told the others of your current situation. They shrugged it off.

  
“If he starts to send his men over towards your vicinity, then we’ll get worried.” Said, Steve, as he began to bark orders to the others. You didn’t really like Steve, nor trust him very much. You didn’t like how he treated the others. He seemed to almost belittle them. Especially you. Apparently, you were an asset to the team. Not an official member. Yet, at least.

 

***

  
You had failed. At least, that’s how you saw it.

  
“We’ve only lost this battle. Not lost the war.” Steve would pound into your head.

‘Yeah right, Mr. America.’ You thought in response to that. You felt like you could’ve done more. You should’ve deployed more robots to help them. Maybe then Bruce wouldn’t have been controlled and tried to apprehend everyone. Well, kill them. He was hulk then. Banner was long gone.  
Until you would have a basic plan of attack, you decided to hide out in a safe house designated for this very situation. You didn’t know how long it was going to be a safe, safe house. But it was better than turning yourselves in at the moment. Anything was better than willingly giving in to Loki.

“Only then would we have really failed” Bellowed Steve.  
‘You do you.’ You couldn’t help but think. You weren’t the most optimistic person. You had hope, just… not much. Not enough to keep you fighting. But enough to keep you alive.

For now, anyways


	2. Poppy Blossoms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your different nightmares have been getting out of hand recently. Then it gets hellish.

It had been three days since the attack. Three days of dread and guilt.

You had to leave everything behind. You didn’t have any time to grab anything else when the chitauri began to swarm Stark Tower. You just sent out an S.O.S and then you were out of there. Loki had the place within about a day.

So you, of course, thought it was your fault. You didn’t really have a reason to think so. Just the fact that Loki had seen you from the window, was enough to give you the impression.

Though everyone was trying to convince you that it wasn’t just your fault. Saying the word _just_ didn’t really help. It just gave you the sense that you were partly to blame. And that weighed you down more than the defeat itself.

Sleeping had been a challenge, a serious one at that. Nightmares plagued you relentlessly, each one seemed to be more gruesome and disgusting than the last one. You decided it wasn’t worth the mental torture and began to live off adrenaline and caffeine. Well, the cheap expired powdered coffee that just so happened to be left in the dusty cupboards.

But it was better than nothing you guessed. That’s what you lived on for the next two days. You were sure that the life-saving liquid was practically your blood at this point. You couldn’t complain about it though. Anything was better than those graphic night terrors.

You’d just have to sit and watch yourself die. Each way was worse than the one that came before it. Death, though, wasn’t the only reoccurring theme in these nightmares. Every time you’d die, another blooming marigold would come from the wound. The flora seemed to be haunting you now. You’d see it everywhere. You would accidentally doodle it without noticing it, you’d see it on the shower curtains, it would be in the wild patch of flowers outside, and It was sickening.

But it was all a coincidence, right? Nothing more. Maybe it was just a subconscious thing. Just a flower you had seen so many times, just manifesting itself to help censor the gratuitous amounts of blood that would be in its place.

Please let that be the case. Please?

It was around nine thirty pm. You were beginning to get tired. Along with the others. Every night, you would all take turns “holding down the fort” as Steve called it. Just making sure that you were safe and that nobody would come to get you or find you during the night hours.

You were conflicted on if this was a good thing or not, but they didn’t ever let you keep watch. This was probably because Mr. Stark would feel responsible if anything bad happened to you. Though, against his wishes, you’d usually keep the unwilling participant company since you were refusing to sleep. But usually, you would end up dozing on the couch next to them anyway. Despite your mind’s protests, your body went against you.

Which always ended with the night terrors. Then the cycle would repeat itself.

Mr. Stark was going to keep watch tonight, which meant he wasn’t going to take your shit and send you to bed. You wouldn’t sleep, just lie there. And then you’d definitely end up falling asleep again. You should stop that routine. It was pointless anyway.

So, you decided to actually _try_ to get some sleep tonight. Maybe you’d wake up refreshed for once. You climbed into the sleeping bag that lied on an old mattress. Then, you looked up at the wooden ceiling, letting your mind drift off into unconsciousness. 

***

_It was dark, cold, and damp. Drops of rain fell from the overcast sky while you stood on the balcony of stark tower. This is how it would always start. The place where you got caught with the robots. You sighed in malcontent. “Damn” You reluctantly walked back to the inside of the building._

_There it was again. The you that would get increasingly more mutilated with each dream. Its orifices were brimming with marigolds now. The only remaining thing was their mouth. It was always muttering something. But you couldn’t ever figure out what exactly it was saying._

_It seemed to be saying something among the lines of “Come here, it’s safe with me.” or “I want to see you again.”_

_Then, occasionally, it would change it up sometimes. Then, it would say “I’m coming for you” And “You’re such a foolish child.”_

_Such a pleasant creature, wasn’t it? You were always too scared to talk to it, too scared to approach it, and definitely too scared to save it from death. You’d rather wake up traumatized than traumatized with drenched bedsheets._

_Yeah. You’d pass on that. You wouldn’t want to explain to the others that you had pissed yourself in fear from a NIGHTMARE. If they don’t see you as more than a kid now, then they sure won’t see you as anything else if that happened._

_As you would always do in these dreams, you’d try to get away from it. But it would always confront you and kill you, and you’d end the dream with your corpse in another bizarre state of disarray._

_You didn’t bother letting it to anything else. You didn’t want to see what it would do. You were just fine as it was right now. Well, as fine as you could be._

_But this time it was different. It didn’t chase you. Actually, it seemed to be walking leisurely behind you, following you with a graceful stride and a puffed chest. It seemed pleased._

_You were then stopped by a large locked set of double doors. You looked up at it and placed a hand on your neck, looking for an opening. But not long after you had begun to ponder, the creature that looked like you stepped in front of you. It opened the door and motioned you inside._

_Of fucking course. It was a marigold field._

_And, dead center of it, was you, hanging from a tree in the center of it. Your face was completely covered in those damn flowers, leaving no pore or acne scar untouched._

_The one you had following you stepped behind you. For the first time, its words were able to make out._

_“I’ve got you a gift.”_

_***_

You bolted up in the sleeping bag. Your hair stuck to your forehead in a messy disarray. You looked around the room and clutched your shirt, gasping and panting.

Then you saw it. On the stack of books that was your nightstand -if you could even call it that- was something odd. It made your blood run cold, considering the nightmare you had just awoken from.

A lone marigold flower sat atop a fancy, embellished envelope. Your nightstand never looked so cluttered. The camera from your robot’s eye adorned the organized mess. The one that you thought had been destroyed two nights before, now in seemingly perfect condition.

With reluctant, shaky hands you opened the envelope. What was written inside made your heart stop dead.

"You seemed to have misplaced this the other day, one of the Chitauri had given it to me once we had returned to the ship. You should keep a watchful eye for your things, my dear.-L”

You didn’t know how to react to that. You were anxious, yes, but how did _he_ find you? Didn’t Mr. Stark keep watch? How did he get to your room of all places? You didn’t have any windows, and the only entrance was through the door-

“Magic… that bastard uses magic! How did we think that guarding the front door was going to work?” You moaned angrily and stood up. You grabbed the letter, the flower, and the robotic eye and bolted to the main room. “H-hey we have a problem!  
Only Miss Natasha and Mr. Stark seemed to be downstairs at the moment. They both turned in your direction.

“Woah kid don’t go yelling things at five in the morning” Yawned Stark as he sipped his coffee from a mug. “You’ll wake up the others. What did we say about making a shit ton of noise?”  
You rolled your eyes and walked over to the table and put down the objects that was on the nightstand. “I think this is from you-know-who” You muttered, shaking slightly.

He rose an eyebrow. “Kid, this paper is just old and blank. What on earth are you talking about? You’re delusional. It’s just your nerves and lack of sleep getting to you.” He said and placed the letter back down on the table

“I’m delusional?” You barked. “there’s the eye from the robot head that was taken in.”

“What the hell are you talking about kid?” He pinched the bridge of his nose. He seemed disappointed, yet slightly concerned. “There’s nothing there but a rock from the stone path outside.”

Your eyes widened as you looked down at the objects again. They seemed to be exactly what he was describing. But how? That wasn’t what you saw five seconds ago! What the hell?

Natasha gave you a motherly glance. “hey,” she began and knelt down to where you sat on the rug. “Maybe you should go back to sleep-“

You shook your head furiously. “I can’t go back to sleep.” You said and ran your fingers through your hair frantically. “It’ll be there again. It’ll talk to me.” You said and fell back onto the soft, yet itchy fabric. “It’ll show me my death for the fifth time and then laugh at me.” You blurted.

The two adults were both equally confused and concerned at the current situation. “I know the loss of the battle can manifest in weird ways to help you cope with what happened, but that’s not real. This ‘it’ you’re talking about isn’t real. You’re just panicking due to our uncertain fate” he said.

You knew that was bullshit. He didn’t see what was going on inside your head. He didn’t know what you were seeing. He didn’t know.

He would never know. Simply because he wasn’t you.

Nobody was like you.

 


	3. Anemone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader's first taste of what's to come with the god of mischief.

After the exchange with Tony, you were forced to return to your room.

Damn, that Mr. Stark. He always treated you like a child. Well, you were a teenager. You weren’t an adult. But still, that doesn’t excuse the fact that he was babying you. After all, you aided in them trying to save the world -you failed, but it was a team effort- and that should be enough to allow him to see you as an equal. But no.

It was 9:30 am now. You had been too scared to go back to sleep. So, you just chilled in your room with a lukewarm cup of coffee, fiddling with the robotic eye and flower that had been seen as a rock, and the flower apparently wasn’t even noticed. Probably, because they littered the outside. Well, flowers in general. Marigolds just seemed to be the go-to interior design choice that was haunting you. Fun.

You turned the eye over in your hand and fiddled with the USB port. You noticed that it seemed to have…pollen on it. Well, yeah it was next to a flower. But that arose the idea that maybe, he had put something onto it.

But what would he want to show you? Would everyone see the eye, or would they see you desperately trying to plug a cable into a rock? So many questions, not enough time. Nor enough resources for that matter.

You continued to caress the small eye and get the pollen off of it, blowing it out of the port and sighing in malcontent when you failed to get all of it out.

Standing up from the small mattress, you walked over to the small laptop that you had haphazardly grabbed while trying to get out of the crumbling city. You connected the cable to the eye and waited with bated breath.

After what feels like hours of waiting, a small notification popped up on your screen. Your eyes widened as you leaned closer to read it.

_ Update Available! Please back up your computer before continuing! _

Well that was a disappointment. Drudgingly, you pressed the update button, not really having any important documents on your computer at the time. Besides, the backup wouldn’t really be that important. You back it up religiously, what would skipping one time do.

A lot, apparently. Too much.

You left the computer to update to go grab a new, fresh, hot cup of coffee, and maybe a granola bar or something.

Of course, when you left, it bugged out. Green specks littered the screen and killed multiple pixels, making it almost impossible to read anything on the screen. But then returned to normal somehow once the update was completed.

A new file popped up on your desktop.

***

“Miss Romanoff, you believe me, right?” You sat at the table while you sipped at the piping beverage and munched on the granola bar.

She hummed. “I wouldn’t say you’re delusional, on edge, perhaps.” She said and twirled her spoon in her coffee. “Did you like, have meds you didn’t have time to grab or anything?”

You only groaned. “Why does nobody fucking- Ugh!” You fell out of your chair and onto the cold, tile floor. “Believe me?” You whined, finishing your statement before the chair had so rudely interrupted. “I mean, yeah I had meds! But not for this kind of thing. I have anxiety.” You mumbled and sat up in the chair again. You glared awkwardly at the chair.

“So, you’re anxious?” She asked. “Just, don’t worry as much.”  
                You rolled your eyes, frustration crept onto your face. “If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that I’d have enough money to fund the entire war.” You slumped onto the table. “And maybe, like, enough to rebuild New York and a can of Pringles?”

She laughed at that and looked at your bummed expression. “So, what _is_ it like?”  
                “Its like, having an imaginary friend. But that imaginary friend whispers ‘what if’s’ into your ear constantly, makes you carry their emotional baggage on your sleeve, making it easy for people to pick up on what’s wrong with you, and then some.” You sighed and looked away, continuing your statement. “You’re on edge… a lot. You think ‘Oh they don’t like me because they didn’t laugh at my joke. What if they don’t want to talk to me anymore?’ or ‘They saw my message and didn’t reply. Are they ignoring me because I’m annoying them?’ ‘I’m asking too many questions. Do they think I’m pushy?’ and stuff like that. All the time constantly.”

She nodded in understanding. At least, you hoped that’s what it was. “That sounds tough. Like a looming cloud over your head. You think it’s going to rain, but you never know, so you’re tense all the time.”  
                “That seems about right.” You said and chugged the rest of your coffee. You stood up and stretched. “My computer’s updating, so I’m going to check up on that.” You said and walked awkwardly to your room and ran to the computer.

An unnamed folder sat smack-dab in the center of your desktop. You sighed anxiously and led the mouse to the icon.

Your screen lagged, trying to open this monster of a file that was randomly on your computer. You clicked impatiently clicked on the file a few more times. Then it opened.

A picture of a dark room with a single wooden chair in the center. That’s all it was. Wait no, it was a video. You saw a green cloaked man go to place something on the chair. It was the rest of your little robot. The one that was dismantled.

R.O.B. You named them. It was a simple name. Robotic Obstacle Breaker. Short, to the point, and gave them some sort of sentiment.

But now he only brought the feeling of dread. Just a still video of muffled talking and white noise with R.O.B sitting in the center. It was ominous but somewhat silly. Until you heard _him. Loki._

“Evening, My dear.” He began. You haven’t heard his real voice before. It was smooth and… entrancing almost. His posh, almost British accent was nice to hear. Well, would’ve been if it had been under literally any other circumstance. “I’m sure you know of who I am by now, and I know who you are. Good morning-” static cut out what you could only assume your name was. “I look forward to meeting you in person. It’s been quite troublesome sitting in your head for the past few days. It’s quite cluttered in there.” He said and sighed.

You were extremely taken aback by this. How… was he doing any of this! Before you could finish your train of thought he began to speak again.  
                “I do hope you’ve enjoyed my little gifts for you. I put a lot of effort into them. Marigolds, quite lovely, aren’t they? But few know of the meaning. I guess you’re quite confused. You didn’t seem to know anything about plants. Basic flower names, yes. Nothing substantial.” He rambled on for a moment or two before getting back on topic. “Ah yes, as I was saying before. Marigolds. The meaning is _cruelty_ ” You could hear the smirk in his voice.

Smug bastard.

“As you can tell, your safe house isn’t very safe. Nor very homey I assume?” He continued, biting back chuckles as he scared you shitless. “You’re room three hundred ten. Last room on the hallway to the left. I’m going to be stopping by to fetch you soon. Sorry to keep you waiting so long. I know you’ve never been the patient type. Or the _calmest_ type either.” He mused. You heard the crinkling of his clothing as he leaned closer to the microphone. “You must be terrified, I assume.”

You looked around frantically. You knew this was just a simple mp4 file, but you couldn’t help but feel as if he was in the same room as you. Your stomach sank.

Knowing Loki, it was definitely more than a simple mp4. How could you even think something so naïve? You looked at the screen with twisted, terrified interest. You heard footsteps from the speakers of your laptop. He was suddenly facing the camera. His fierce blue eyes seemed to be staring into yours, despite not even seeing you.

“As you’re watching this, I am on my way to come see you and those misfits who call themselves ‘The Avengers.’ Dangerously close, in fact. No use hiding or warning the others. You know they won’t believe you. Especially Anthony Stark. Never believed you, did he? All because of a simple glamour I had left on my gifts. I assumed you’d attempt to show it to them. Now they think you’re imagining things. How disheartening. How will you ever prove yourself to be more than a child to them?” his hands reached out to the camera in what seemed to be a caressing motion.

You could feel his cold hands on your cheeks. Your heart stopped.

“And I’m going to assist you with that. I’ll help you prove that you’re more than a child prodigy, that you’re a force to be reckoned with.” He continued. “You just have to come with me. You just have to make the right choice. Because if you just so happen to make the wrong choice…” His voice trailed off as he moved back from the camera and over behind the chair.

R.O.B was in shambles. Far beyond repair. Before you knew it, the small robot’s bulky, awkward design morphed into the others, one by one. All in worse shape than the last.

And finally, you, covered head to toe in scars, bruises, and petals of the flower you had learned to hate.

“A cruel fate will befall all of you. You wouldn’t want to be at fault for that, now would you? You don’t want to be at fault for, not only the fall of New York but the fall of Earth’s last remaining heroes as well. I assume you don’t.” He stood up straight.

“So be smart, make the right choice. I’m waiting at the door.”

And like that, the video was gone. All traces of it was gone as well. You went running to the living room. Only to hear a loud crash and muffled coughs. He had arrived.

And you’d better make the right choice. The only choice.

 


	4. Camellia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader gets the real reason Tony accepted them as his pupil and doesn't make a very wise decision. 
> 
> Camille Meaning: "My destiny is in your hands"

When you arrive at what was left of the living room, Tony and Natasha were collapsed under the drywall.

Loki stood on top of the rubble crushing the two, preventing them from moving much more. The two wheezed from the abundance of dust and remaining insulation now released into the air around them. You included.

You covered your mouth and nose with the collar of your sweatshirt. You squinted to get a better view of what was happening. You wish you hadn’t.

Loki was staring at you, a full bouquet of marigolds with him. He tossed them at you and smirked sickeningly.

You fumbled a bit but managed to catch it. “Y-you weren’t-.”

“Here a moment ago?” He rudely interrupted you and smirked. “Indeed, I was. I was here. I was in the room with you. What’s the matter with that?”

“Multiple things are wrong with that!” You exclaimed “You sick f-“  
 “Now now, you already know I _own_ you.” His deadpan expression shook your core.

Tony was genuinely confused. “Kid? What the hell is horn-head over here talking about?” He grunted and tried to escape the heavy restraints of the rubble and the frost giant's heavy boots.

“They’ve tried to tell you. But they were perceived as a child. And I’m here to offer them a better position than you ever did, Howard’s child.” He leered and motioned you forward with his finger effortlessly.

You were too frightened to move. You didn’t know what to do. You couldn’t fucking breathe, let alone move. Your skin ran cold with a nervous sweat. Before you could even process what was happening, your skin burned.

You looked down at your arms. Your tender flesh poked up at the vein, eventually ripping through the thin wall and protruding through the skin.

A stem emerged from your arm, blood pooled around the fresh wound. “It’ll continue to grow until it’s as big as your entire vessel. Then you’ll die from lack of nutrients. I’d suggest you’d start shaping up unless you’d rather lie dead with the Uroboros engraved into your arm. That’s completely up to you though.”

You nearly vomited. “Oh fuck…” You mumbled and ran forward, disregarding the warning twinge of pain in your arm. You walked over the giant of a man.

“That’s better.” He said and gripped your shoulder. “Now. Remember that choice I presented to you moments ago? Well, here’s where it comes into play.”

“Hey-.” Tony broke into coughs while trying to call out your name in disapproval. As he always did. He never did say your name any other time than when he was upset with you. Like a parent using the full name to call you down when you seriously fucked up. “Hey, what the fuck is he talking about?”  
“Well, the young one is sick of feeling like a child.” Loki answered for you. “So, I’m giving them the lovely, long-awaited opportunity of being treated as an equal. Something _you_ never gave them.” He mused and stepped onto Tony’s dirty, matted, hair.

“Kid don’t you listen to him. Loki is terrible news.”  
“I have to or else-.” Muffled static poured out of your mouth, stopping what you were about to say.

“Or else what?” He asked and looked at you.

You couldn’t bear to look at his face anymore. “I can’t tell you.” You mumbled and turned away from him, facing the unconscious Nat.

  “You wanted to be treated like an equal.” Said Loki, he stretched his arms behind his head. “Something your current superior refused to comply with. He was always so belittling and condescending, wasn’t he?” He crossed his arms over his chest.

“Kid you know damn well that’s not what I was doing-.”

“And how were they shown that? What were you doing?” He cut off the wounded man by stepping onto his head, pushing his face into the broken fiberglass. “You didn’t even want the child around. It was Miss Potts’ idea to give you better publicity.”

Your heart sank. You didn’t know that side of the story.

 Apparently, the trickster picked up on that as well. He looked into your eyes. “He was using you this entire time. The only reason he wanted you around was to make him look better.”

You gripped the sides of your stained sweatshirt. “…so that’s why.” You grumbled. The look of shame on Tony’s face wasn’t helping his case any either. How did Loki even get his hands on this information in the first place? You didn’t know. You didn’t care. Maybe going with him wouldn’t be so terrible after all. The thought of Tony dying would weigh on your conscience, as would the death of everyone else. It’s not like you could say no.

“Now, knowing all this my dear, it’s time for you to come to a decision. It’s me, a life where you’ll be valued, treated like everyone else, where age does not matter.” He looked away from you and swung his leg around the other playfully, feigning innocence. “Or stay here. Stay a child and a tool. Something used to make a terrible person look better, a buffer.” He motioned to the remains of the living room.

Tony, despite being able to speak now, was silent. He was watching you with a calculating, determined gaze. You wouldn’t abandon him. Not after all he’d done for you. Well, what you _did for him_.

You looked down at the Uroboros that was slowly forming into your arm. Maybe this wouldn’t be so terrible. It’s not like you had anything left to lose. No doubt that the others would treat you differently after this exchange. You didn’t want to have to put up with that.

Loki knew that. He had planned it all out. He chose you specifically for this. You had the potential to help him. You two could help _each other_. You’d get what you wanted in exchange for your aid in whatever he just so happened to need. You looked down at the man you’d known for the past year. You smiled at him, a condescending, belittling smile, the one he had always given you. 

And without a moment's hesitation, you walked to Loki.   
The god looked at you with amused satisfaction. He held out his hand for you to take, which you did shyly. Despite this situation, you couldn’t help but be terrified. You knew that being with Tony wouldn’t do you any favors and that the ‘relationship’ you had ever had with him -if you could even call it that- had been fabricated.

You didn’t know Loki very well. You also knew that there would be more negative consequences if you had sided with Tony. Not only would everyone die, but you would have to witness it. Then only God knows what Loki would do with you then. Either way, you’d end up with Loki, for the better or worse. You were doing everyone a favor. At least, that’s what you had to tell yourself as you walked away from the house, hand in hand with a monster.

 


	5. Rhododendron

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader finds out exactly why Loki took them. They seem to have quite a bit in common.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! This chapter is a bit longer than the others. You get into your own head. Literally.

You were already regretting your decision as he had someone lock you in the trunk of a black BMW. You could hear Loki in the back seat, talking to the chauffeur about the whereabouts of his current residence.

You wanted to ask so many questions. But, at the same time, you didn’t want to open your mouth. What if you weren’t allowed to? What would he do? Would he yell at you? Or would he let you speak? Honestly, you were too scared to find out.

The car came to a sudden stop, causing your scrawny form to lurch forward and hit the backseat with enough force to give you whiplash. You heard a quiet chuckle from ahead of you.

“Oh my, that seemed like it hurt. Any broken bones?” You heard Loki muse. He looked back at you with a face of mock concern. “Don’t worry. We’ve arrived.”  
                The trunk flew open and out came the man that threw you in the trunk in the first place. He took you out with as much courtesy he had when he first threw you in. He looked dead, a walking corpse. His cheeks looked sunken, along with his eyes. The rings around them rivaled that of a raccoon. The only thing that actually stood out about his face, the only remaining sign of life, was his eyes. His eyes were as blue as permafrost that would soon lace the ground around you.

You groaned as your elbows scraped against the rough concrete. You heard the God scoff, scolding the man for treating you so roughly.

“Don’t damage them. You should know better than to treat my cargo with such disdain.” He said and gave a disapproving glance towards the man, who was now bowing low as an apology.

“I’m truly sorry Your Majesty. I’ll refrain from treating them as such.” You could hear the hints of sarcasm in his voice, but no actual disrespect.

It’s like the person he was before was still in there somewhere. You pondered what it would feel like but decided it would be better if you didn’t allow such things to happen to you.

You got up, your bones creaking and your muscles cramped. You yawned slightly as you stretched the sleep from your body. You looked at Loki with a hint of fear in your eyes.

He seemed pleased by that expression. He walked closer to you, the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. You felt him grab your wrist, lifting it up to his eye level. He looked at it with an observant eye, he seemed to be grading it. His own work.

“It’s sloppy. I’m disappointed in myself.” He frowned and walked ahead, your wrist still in a death grip. You could feel your arm creaking under his python like hold.

You soon arrived at an elevator in which he dragged you in. He pulled out a key from his coat pocket and slipped it into a slot next to the buttons, revealing more buttons in its wake.

You gawked at it in awe. You wanted desperately to dismantle and reverse engineer it to see how it worked. But you knew there was no way he would allow you to do that. You knelt down to inspect it.

Loki snickered at your interest. You felt his hand on your head, rubbing it slightly, almost absently.

You tensed up at that. You looked back up at him. But he didn’t seem to acknowledge the fact he was doing so.

You heard him mutter something under his breath. It didn’t sound like English, another tongue, perhaps.  

The elevator door opened to reveal a grand suite. Loki’s quarters it seemed. He walked over to the bed and motioned you to sit down next to him. You reluctantly obeyed, cautiously walking to the mattress. You didn’t have a reason to refuse.

“Give me your hand, child.” He said and said looked at you. You held it out and tensed as he yanked it towards him.

He placed a hand over the design he had made previously. It was suddenly cold. So cold it _burned_. You winced and tried to pull away, but to no avail.

“Hold still.” He seethed. “You’ll make it look like rubbish.” He said and pulled away after a while. It was a deep red hue to frostbite. Like a brand, but… cold.

He sighed and lied you down on the bed. You immediately thought the worst thing imaginable, making you bolt up and shake your head.

“For Asgard’s sake, at ease.” He said and looked at you with a look of sick interest and pity. “I have no intention of such vile things. I do happen to have standards.”

You relaxed at that slightly, a pang of relief and a ding to your ego. “So, then. What are you planning to do?”

“Simply enter your mind and look around. I’ve entered it before. Nothing I haven’t seen”   
 That made you tense. “Um, if I may take a raincheck-.”  
 He gave you a look so cold he could freeze you on the spot. You looked away immediately and muttered an apology.

He didn’t seem pleased with it and made the vine growing in your arm flourish. You stiffened significantly.

“Lie down.” He demanded. “Or else.” He said and loomed over you.

You lied down awkwardly. Enough to feel comfortable physically, but not enough to actually relax.

He ran his fingers through your hair again and mumbled the same thing he said in the elevator.

The Uroboros on your arm lit a pale green. You felt dizzy and loopy. What was happening? Your eyelids felt extremely heavy. You didn’t want to sleep. You couldn’t sleep. You didn’t want any more nightmares. Granted, they were planted there by him, and he already had you in his possession, so he wouldn’t need to make them any worse. But you couldn’t help but feel dread rising like bile in your throat.

 

Suddenly, you were asleep. You floated aimlessly in darkness. Well, it seemed like you were floating until you saw some kind of ground approaching quickly.

You were falling

You screamed, but nothing came out. You suddenly landed on a fainting couch. Where were you?

“You’re in your mind.” Said Loki, standing amongst the rows and rows of bookshelves. “These are your memories in a compact, physical form that you can touch and interact with. Well, I can. You can’t really do much in this situation. Just sit there and relax” he waved absently at you.

“Why are you in my memories?” You asked as he flipped through miscellaneous books.

“I want to get to know you better. Chances are you’re going to lie to me.” He said and sat on a throne-like chair in the middle, beside a fireplace. “You should be lucky I happened to clean and organize your thoughts before you had to see it. It was a pigsty in here. So many disorganized thoughts and incomplete projects.” He said in disapproval.

You couldn’t help but be a bit offended by that. “H-hey it’s not like I can just enter my mind whenever I want to!” You rebutted “I can’t help that. That’s my mind. I can keep it in whatever sense of disorganized creative mess I want!”

He gave a choked laugh. “Nothing is truly yours-.” He said your name, but it was interrupted by the slamming of a thick book. “Not anymore.”

That made you shiver slightly. You didn’t know what to think of that. He continued to read and stifle through your thoughts.

This went on for a while, showing your memories with your family. Your abundance of free time and the love for building random things.

*

You never had many friends. Nobody really liked to hang out with you, you were always the type of person who’d rather talk to people who actually knew what you were talking about. You liked to keep the conversation. You didn’t want to talk to a wall for an hour.

You’d go to online chat rooms and forums. Any type of meaningful conversation was a craving only a few people could satisfy. All would go well until they found out your age. Then the meaningful conversations would be replaced with belittling.

It always ended up like that. So, then you began to lie. It started with the small things. Saying you were older than you were to make sure nobody would talk down to you. Then you’d make fake accounts to make people think you were different. That you were likable.

That eventually backfired when they found out it was all a lie, leaving you all alone again. You decided that talking to people who weren’t actually interested in you was a waste of time. So, you made a robot who could keep up a conversation.

An opportunity to arouse eventually. An internship at Stark Industries. You decided that it would be worth your time. Finally, people who knew what you were talking about. So you submitted the small robot that had a mind of its own and waited.

Months passed, and you waited anxiously for the letter of rejection, but it never came. Instead, a certificate of entry and completion was found in the mailbox instead. Your heart leaped with joy, only to recall a tiny bump:

You lied about your age again.

When the time came to go to the tower, they were reluctant to let you in. They thought you were just a kid until you brought out the certificate. Even then they were reluctant. But they let you in any way.

You met Stark later that afternoon. He was a bit confused until you confessed that you aged yourself on the entry. And then the expected happened. He would belittle and talk down to you. Just like everyone else. Your heart sank in your chest. This wasn’t what you had hoped

*

Loki slammed the book shut, snapping you out of your thoughts. You stiffened and looked up at him.

“Tis a shame really.” He said and walked further down the room. “They underestimate you. Just because of your age. I know what it’s like to be you.” He said, swiftly turning on his heels to look back at you. “I was the youngest. Always in the shadows and never knew what it was liked to be accepted. That’s what drew me to you.” He admitted and continued to walk. “We’re one in the same, you and I.”

You looked down at your arm. “We aren’t? That’s a shock.” You muttered under your breath. A little bit of sarcasm lacing your voice.

Loki took note but luckily chose to ignore it. “There’s something I’ve been waiting to look inside.” He began and walked deeper into the library. Though his voice sounded as if he was still close by. “A small chest locked away. I’m impressed you managed to hide it this deep in your thoughts. Everyone has one. But, yours… I actually had to look for. Great job. You must have some demons.” He said and mused. He walked back to you, a small music box, all the gears exposed, the cogs turning and twisting.

You looked at it with sick interest. “What even is in there? It must be something bad if I don’t even know what’s inside.” You mumbled and swung your legs over the side of the couch so that you were sitting.   
“Why don’t you take a look. Open it and wind the key. You’ll see.” He said and handed you the box gently.

You took it into your hands as if you were holding your life in your palms. In a way you were. You opened the lid, only to find a small porcelain version of yourself in a small puddle of tears. You hissed. How edgy.

When you wound the key, the miniature you spun around with an umbrella, a small voice coming from it. You didn’t wind it up enough. You couldn’t make out what it was saying. You sighed and wound it up more. Your heart dropped.

“I’m not good enough. That’s why nobody likes me.” It said. Self-deprecating thoughts came from the small you. “I’m lonely. That’s my fault.” It continued. “I’d do anything… someone just love me. Be my friend. I’m begging you. I can’t stand the silence any longer.”

You almost dropped the box, rather, almost threw it to the ground in disdain. It continued to mumble and sniffle. You would talk to R.O.B about these things. They were all in his camera, but only when you thought he was off.

Maybe he did indeed have a mind of his own.

You frowned and bolted up from the seat and slammed the lid closed, cutting off the melancholy confessions in their tracks. You looked away from it and shoved it back in Loki’s hands.   
                “I-I’d like to wake up now.”


	6. Peonies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the reader fucks up.

He shook his head. “I suppose you’ll have to face the music eventually.” He mused and opened the box once again. “Now that it’s in front of you, it seems appropriate. You can’t live in denial like that, child. Uncover your ears or I’ll make it echo throughout your entire mindscape.” He said coldly and looked at you.

  
“I don’t want to.” You mumbled sadly and slumped back onto the couch. “I’m sick of hearing that. I don’t want a god telling me the same thing. You’re just going to use it to get under my skin. What’s the use of giving you the power to do so?”

  
He stared at you and sat down. “Well, I don’t see the point in denying all of it. Not all of it is true, however.” He leaned forward and put a hand on your head. “It’s true. I do want to get under your skin. But not just you. You aren’t that special, dear.” He smirked and ran his fingers through your tangled locks. “But you are indeed interesting. You have more potential and use than even Anthony had. That’s why I decided to choose you and not him.” His fingers unknotted your hair and played with it.

  
“Potential? I don’t get it. I’m just a smaller, sweater, younger version of him-.”

  
He cut you off with laughter. “No, you’re much more than that. You’re clever, more brains than brawn. He uses all these fancy inventions to try to make himself stronger. But that only makes him weak. He’s nothing without them, you know that, correct?

  
You looked away. “But I’m doing the same things, I made a small army of flying drones instead of going into harm's way. When that wasn’t enough, I had to give up my favorite invention. My friend.” You said and sighed at the memory of R.O. B’s face, dismantled into a hollow shell of what he used to be. He was modified by Mr. Stark for him to be able to communicate without default sentences that came out awkwardly and out of place when you were talking to him. Stark only did that so you wouldn’t have to talk to him while he did work.

  
“Yes, but you’re still young, and you’ve already learned that sacrifice is needed to succeed. Well, you didn’t succeed, but you did what you believed was for the greater good. Most children would’ve just admitted defeat. But not you.”

  
“Yeah, ‘cuz I don’t know when to quit. I’m stubborn.” You still had your hands pressed firmly at your ears. You couldn’t hear the voices coming from the box anymore. Just the voice of Loki, who seemed surprisingly civil, considering your defiance.

  
“Indeed, you don’t. That will be a thing you’ll need to learn since you’re under my care. I won’t go easy on you because you’re a child. That comes with being treated as an equal. Just as I treat everyone else.” he suddenly loomed over you and sat the music box on the chair he was sitting on moments ago. He yanked your arms from your ears and pinned them to your sides. “Now, that being said, this is what I would do to an adult, though an adult would’ve been smart enough to listen the first time.”

  
The music box suddenly swung open, you didn’t even notice it had closed. Its sickening words spilled out, filling your head with miserable and dreadful thoughts. You couldn’t stand it. You leaped from the couch and stared at him coldly.

  
“Why are you making me listen to this?” you asked.

  
“It’s what you need to hear.” He said and smirked at you.

  
“I’ve already heard it all before. From my parents, teachers, people I thought were friends, Stark, Happy, and myself. I think I already know what’s wrong with me.” You said. “You do as well. So, what is the point of this? Really?”

  
He only sighed in malcontent as he yanked you to the wooden floor. “I simply wanted to play a little. I had no real reason.”  
“Liar.” You said. “You have a reason. Tell me. Tell me or I’ll break it.”

  
His eyebrows raised; he smirked at you. “Oh, you will, will you? How bold. I would’ve never thought you would do something so brash.”  
You snarled. “Tell. Me.” You growled and thrashed around in his grasp.

  
His lips remained tight for a few moments. He wasn’t going to tell you, you’d have to break the box.

  
You didn’t want to break the box. You didn’t know what was going to happen. But you wanted him to know that you were ready to do anything. You weren’t ready for this. But you’d do it. You didn’t want to seem like a coward. You didn’t want him to know you were bluffing.

  
So, you kicked the leg of the chair it was resting on. The chair toppled over, as did the box. It hit the ground with a sickening scream. It screamed. The words that the box had so carefully restrained were free to roam. You just let out the thoughts you wanted to stay hidden.

  
“Well, would you look at that. You weren’t bluffing.” Loki said and let you out of his iron grip. “I’m impressed, but a little disappointed in you.” He stood up and with a wave of his hand, the remains of the box were nowhere to be seen. “You should’ve figured that since I wasn’t telling you not to, that something was going to come of it. Something I wanted. You’re foolish, I thought you were clever, I suppose I was wrong.” He hummed.

  
The words were flooding the library in the form of black ink, staining books and their pages with the painful contents of the ink.

  
You panicked. “FUCKING CHRIST JUST WAKE UP!” You screamed at yourself and held your head, shaking. “You wake up from nightmares all the time, just wake up now. This is no different from a nightmare. Just wake up and-.”

  
Loki’s hands pulled you to his chest. He looked down at you with a smirk. “You can wake up now. I have what I want.” He said as the rooms began to crumble, leaving the both of you to fall.

  
*

  
You lurched up in his bed, sweating nervously. You looked around the room. Loki was sitting beside you; his hand was no longer on your forehead.  
“Morning.” He said calmly and looked at you. “Don’t do anything too extreme physically. The spell is still in effect. Wait a few moments. Your body will be up to speed with your mind by then.” He stood up and walked to the other side of the room. “The ink. You remember what you did, right?”

  
You shuddered at that thought. “Well, I didn’t know it was going to do that.”

  
“Well, what did you think was going to happen?”

  
You looked down at your arms and shook your head, the vine had grown. “I don’t know. What would usually happen when you break something like that? The parts that would make it function would be misplaced and the sounds it produced would cease.”

  
He hummed and looked at you. “You know that now they are free roaming in your head, it’ll be harder to think and function as you did before?”

  
“I figured that much.” You mumbled and stretched, you then slumped forward and ran your fingers through your damp hair. Your stomach grumbled.

  
“It has been a while since you’ve had a real meal, hasn’t it?” He asked and sat down at the table further down the room. “Your stomach won’t be able to process it until the spell has worn off. You’ll have to give it time.”

  
You groaned in frustration. “Damn.” You mumbled and fell back onto the pillow. “This is going to be a fun time, isn’t it?”

  
“Indeed, it is. Though it will be genuinely fun for me, you, however, it’ll depend on how you behave” He said and looked at you.

  
The next few minutes were spent in silence. You didn’t know how long it was when Loki gave you the ok to go and eat with him.  
You stared down at the food on your plate and looked at him. He nodded and you began to eat.


	7. Purple Hyacinth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader already really really fucks up. 
> 
> Purple Hyacinth means "Please forgive me" in flower. How fitting. 
> 
> Sorry for a late update. We were busy with school this week. Go homecoming... woooo.

It was your first full day with Loki. You didn’t dare call him by name though, as he had previously lied down some ground rules while you ate yesterday after the whole _ink incident_.

Speaking of which, he had explained what that was going to mean and how you were going to have to fix it. Not for you, of course. You wouldn’t really benefit from it. It was all for him. It was all going to go towards his goal.

His goal of ruling the universe. The entire nine realms under his iron hand.

It sounded far-fetched. Ruling earth? Not that big of a problem for him. The entire universe, see, that was a bit much. But you didn’t dare oppose him. You didn’t know what he was going to do. You had no intentions of finding out either.

The ink was hidden away in your mind for a reason. You had hidden it there yourself, actually. Inner demons, self-deprecating thoughts, those embarrassing things you think about in bed at three am, you know, the works.   
The books contained your memories. Every single thing you had ever experienced _ever_ was in there. And you with your foolishness decided to break the box, spill the ink, and flood your mind. You recklessly just destroyed memories.

He said you would remember them in time, but you wouldn’t remember them the same way they happened, due to the fact that your outlook on the entire thing would change due to the extreme damage brought to them.

Great. That was fucking superb. You didn’t even know what memories would be tainted. You wouldn’t know how they originally happened.

Loki said it was better that way. He said that since you wouldn’t remember how they originally happened, it wouldn’t bother you that much. But that’s not what you thought of it as. Since you wouldn’t remember which memories were tainted, you wouldn’t know which memories really happened, which you think will tamper with everything you’ve ever experienced.

He assured you that wouldn’t happen, but you couldn’t trust him with anything. Hell, you wouldn’t trust him with a pair of safety scissors. But you were foolish enough to trust him with your life. You were supposed to be smart. You were a prodigy. But you couldn’t even see all the red flags before you took his hand.

He said when you took his hand, that you were his, but he had said every ‘Midgardian’ was his. Apparently, value wise, you were more important than they were. You didn’t know why exactly. But you hoped you would find out soon.

He said that since you were more important than them, you had more expectations to live up to, you had more rules to follow. You had a reputation to maintain now, after all.

The rules seemed simple enough, but when put into context may be a bit complicated. Nothing too extreme yet though. They included calling him king, be clever, no more rash decision making, no speaking out or opposing him, obeying his commands, the works.

He didn’t seem to be asking for that much in the grand scheme of things. He even let you lay out some simple boundaries to ensure your prolonged sanity and survival. You felt like they were reasonable enough compared to his.

You didn’t ask for much. Just for no sexual harassment or neglect of basic living essentials as punishment. You asked him to take note of your size and racial differences when deciding what to use as punishment. That you were smaller compared to others and weaker. He wasn’t pleased with it that part, saying that you couldn’t get through in this life by being weak and that you wouldn’t be able to grow stronger without hardship. So, you two came to a compromise, if you had to have a spell to aid in recovery from a punishment, it was too much, and he’d refrain from doing such things again.

 After that conversation he sent you to bed, saying you needed your strength for the next day.

*

Now you lied on the kitchen floor, bleeding from almost every facial orifice. You had already fucked up on your second day.

“Child,” Loki began and knelt down beside your body, which was shaking and choking on spit and blood. “really? Already?” He frowned and sat you up against the bar. “You said you’d obey me and you’ve already angered me to this point? I’m disappointed yet impressed at how idiotic your decision was.”

You can’t comprehend what you did wrong. One second you were drinking orange juice and munching on a slightly singed bagel, the next you’re begging for mercy while gargling on blood.

“I don’t… understand” You choked and looked around. “What did I do wrong?”

That was the million-dollar question. What the fuck did you even do to warrant this bullshit?

“You seriously don’t remember? Or do you not comprehend what you did was against my orders?” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “You left the room in the middle of the night after hearing my discussion with a tricky _asset_. Eavesdropping is very rude, especially if I told you specifically not to leave the room without me when I would fetch you in the dawns chorus. And even then, I had to wait until you were fully awake to administer it since you wouldn’t even think of what you did wrong. Seems I didn’t wait long enough.” He said. “How you’re dazed, confused, high off pain and the adrenaline. Do you even hear what I’m telling you?” He swooped your sweat-soaked hair from your face. “Nod your head, I don’t want to hear you gargle on what wits you have left to gather.”

You nodded weakly, your brain felt like it was imploding on itself. This was torture, drawn out, bona-fide torture. Meant for you to suffer. To have the pain etched onto your defenseless, raw brain. You were beginning to realize what was happening now. Your face paled when you realized the extent of your actions.

He was talking to Bruce Banner, not Hulk, _Banner_. It seemed Loki was only in control of the evil green monster, not the man in which it resided. Knowing that now, it gave you the slightest sliver of hope that you could save them. Even though, they wouldn’t be in this mess if it weren’t for your own incompetence.

You heard Bruce yelling at Loki, that he was the real monster here, not him. You heard Loki knock him around roughly on the other side of the door, it was loud enough to wake you up from your dreamless sleep. You were unsure on what was happening from outside, but Loki was nowhere to be seen. So, you decided it was safe to investigate.

That was your first mistake. When you cracked open the door slightly to see what the commotion was about, you saw how dangerous Loki was, his face was calm to a certain extent. He wasn’t angry, which _was_ reassuring. Until you saw him turn in your direction. The both of them looked at you. Your stomach dropped before you closed the door quietly as if it had never happened. You heard more yelling, but now, you were the main subject of interest, hearing your name thrown around a few times what sold you on it.

You heard Bruce’s dorky voice trying to sound intimidating. It didn’t really work but made your heart heavy. He was one of the only avengers who actually believed in you, reassuring you in your times of motivation and your far more often moments of self-deprecation. You actually liked him. And you had betrayed him too.

You had turned your back on all of them just to feel equal, but in reality, it was the same, if not worse. Your foolish selfishness just cost you your only friend. You’d be lucky if he even decided you were worthy of breathing the same air he was.

This was only nailed in further when you heard Loki tell him on how you had turned your back on the others to join him. He wasn’t telling the complete truth, but why would he tell him that you were originally going to do it to save their lives, and then were driven further by rage and the overwhelming feeling of inadequacy.

You looked at Loki, zoning back into the present. It was clear to see that you had realized what you had done. You didn’t understand why it warranted this much punishment. But then again, you didn’t even know what they were talking about beforehand. You weren’t in the place to say in the matter.

You took note of Loki’s gaze staring down at you. “You do know that I was going to have you speak to him, right? To help keep him in check so that he could continue to work with fruitful results by having someone with a similar intellect to bounce ideas off of. I doubt he wants to see you.”

You so desperately wanted to tell him that it was his fault that he didn’t want to see you, but you didn’t wish to make the conversation worse. You looked away in shame.

“Luckily for you, I’m still going to let you speak to him. But under strict surveillance. You aren’t going to be alone. In fact, I have a few cameras in his workspace, so I’ll be watching you at all times. I won’t refrain from letting you know if you slipped up by tugging on a few nerves or so. Or you’ll see through the vine currently running through your arm. I haven’t decided yet.” He said and stood up. He held out his hand and you tried to take it.

Your hand was shivering with nerves as you took his hand in yours. He yanked you to your feet haphazardly. You let out a small whimper as you tried to steady yourself on the bar beside you.

You heard Loki sigh with a small smile on his face. He saw you were trying, that’s what mattered to him currently. He didn’t want a quitter. He wanted someone with determination and wit. You. He wanted you.

Your legs caved out from under you, leaving you to fall into his chest, you heaved against him since it was all that you could manage to do. You wanted to get away from him, you didn’t want to show him weakness. He would eat you alive like that.

He noticed your slight pitiful excuse for struggling and pulled you back to him. He made faint comforting sounds and rubbed your head. “You’re sorry now that you know what you did, aren’t you?” He asked, like a condescending parent talking down to a child.

You only nodded as he set you down on a chair.

“Now, since you know what you’ve done and have faced the consequences for your actions, let's get you cleaned, shall we?”

You wanted to tell him that you could clean yourself, but that wasn’t the case. You really couldn’t, even if you wanted to. You didn’t want to be exposed to him. Hopefully, he would use magic. You silently begged him to.

He took a small handkerchief from his trouser pocket and handed it to you. “Do what you can do yourself for now. I’ll be back momentarily.” He said and waved at you dismissively.

You looked down at the cloth in your hands and scrubbed your shameful display from your face. You would have to get used to things such as this. Your dignity was almost nonexistent. You would have to get your act together if you wanted to survive here.

He returned to you fifteen minutes later with something in his hands. It looked foreign, not of this world. You looked at it with interest.

“What is that?” You wheezed and pointed to the object with an unsteady hand.

He didn’t reply, only smirked at you. That didn’t seem good. He sat down next to you and hummed, looking you up.

“Move your hair.” He said suddenly.

You gave him a fearful look but eventually complied. You opened your mouth to ask the question again but were interrupted by a hissing sound and the scent of iron. You didn’t have a second to think about what was happening before he pressed it into your nape. You screamed as the smell of burning flesh and hair became potent and overthrew the smell of iron. You wanted to struggle, but Loki held your head in place.

“Stay still.” He ordered as the burning sensation began to dissipate, replaced by a bizarre tingling sensation. It spread through your veins. Loki soon pulled the device away.

It was a brand…Kind of? It seemed to be made of an organic element, the symbol of the Uroboros seemed to throb with green light.

He led you to the washroom and closed the door as you entered, he was waiting outside patiently. “Clean yourself up, avoid shampoo, for now, it’ll seep into the burn and irritate it.” He said, his voice was clear despite being muffled by the wall between you two.

You quickly cleaned up and dressed in some fresh clothes that were suddenly laid out. They looked like your old clothes from your old apartment. He must’ve had someone fetch them for him.

You stepped out and limped to him.

He smiled in satisfaction and tussled your hair. “Much better. Now, let’s take care of business.” He said and put your hair up so that the fresh wound could be aired out. You stiffened when he suddenly grabbed your chin and smirked.

“Now they all know who you belong to.”  


	8. Verbena

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BBY BOY BRUCE.

You stiffened significantly. You looked down at the brand on your wrist from a day prior, only to see it was gone. You were confused but decided not to speak.

He sat you down on his couch, you were almost sitting on his lap at this point. He grinned down at you, sending shivers flowing down your spine.

“…So, what are we going to do today?” You asked to break the fearful tense silence between you two.

“I have business to attend to.” He said. “But as I said earlier, you are going to talk to Banner.”

“About what though?” You went to rub your neck awkwardly but hissed as your hand met the slightly sticky open wound. You gagged at the feeling.

“Well, I don’t really have much of a use for him as Banner, I am only in control of the monster that lies within. I want you to simply talk him down. He’s a mess of nerves and is no use to me as a panicking buffoon. Having a familiar face in the same room as him may ease his mind.” He explained. It seemed fishy, but you couldn’t refuse.

You nodded and picked at your sweatshirt sleeves. You’ve worn the shirt for three days now, it was almost a security object. Loki didn’t seem pleased that you wore the filthy sweater but hadn’t objected to it once he had seen you wearing it. It reminded you of safer times, but smellier.

Loki stood up and you began to take everything in. All of the features you had been too scared or absentminded to look at. He was oddly beautiful, everything about him was. He had an angular, structured face, his flowing set of raven hair, even his frighteningly tall height was beautiful. He was a god after all. He must’ve caught you staring or something because he had cleared his throat to get your attention.

“Child, you must promise me something before I take you to him.” He said and placed his hand on the fresh, melted flesh on your neck. It began to cool down and throb less. “You mustn’t tell him of the other’s situations. Even though they are all alive, you wouldn’t want him to fret and try to escape and to find them. Also, you may not include him in your details with me.”

You understood and nodded. He began to lead you outside, his hand gripped your shoulder tightly, not enough to hurt you, but enough to keep you in check.

It wasn’t long until you arrived at a one-way glass-paneled room. You could see him clearly. But considering he didn’t even notice you had approached, he couldn’t see out. Loki placed his hand on the door and opened it, shoving you gently inside.

“Play nice.” Was the last thing you had heard from him as he locked you two in.

Bruce was at full attention now. He was staring at you, unblinking. You raised your hands in defense to show you meant no ill will, like talking to a dog.

A very irritable, scary, green dog wearing the skin of someone you know, but a dog nonetheless.

You sat on the other end of the room and looked around. You noticed a girl sitting in the corner with a small whiteboard. You hadn’t seen her before, and it raised a few questions about the God who was keeping you.

“…Hey Bruce.” You mumbled quietly.

 He nodded in acknowledgment. He didn’t want to talk to you. He seemed angry, and considering what Loki had told him, he had no other facts to go off of, so why wouldn’t he be.

“It’s not what it looks like” You poked at the tile floor, tracing the small grooves with your nail. “I didn’t mean for it to-.”  
“Kid…” Bruce breathed and looked at you again. “Why?” His feet were now in view. He was in front of you now. He seemed hurt.

“I can’t tell you.” You mumbled and looked down and rubbed your arm.

“Why not?”

You open your mouth to speak but receive a sharp sting from a thorn that began to protrude from your wrist. “this doodad.” You motion towards the plant that had made itself comfortable in your arm.

His eyebrows furrowed. “The hell is that…?” he grabbed your arm and pulled it to his face. You hissed and yanked your arm back. His science gears were turning now.

It was better than him being angry. Anything was better than that.

You looked around the room while he was wondering what the fuck was in your arm. Your eyes fell to the little girl with the whiteboard. She stared at you. Her eyes seemed dead.

You smiled politely, only to see a small scowl form on her face. You gave her the benefit of the doubt. War changes people. Nobody could stay young and happy forever, especially in this state.

“Who’s the kiddo?” You awkwardly pointed at the girl in the corner, who was doodling away on the whiteboard in her hands.

“Oh, that’s Leia. She kind of just showed up three days ago. She comes and goes as she pleases. I think she’s just a kid Loki picked up.” Bruce said absently as he poked at your arm. He stood up and yanked you up with him. He sat you down on a table and made you lie down. “So, what _is_ this thing?”

You wondered that if telling him about the deal with the plant would lead to punishment, and told by the unfurling of the buds, you took it as a yes.

“Can’t say because I don’t know enough about it. It just happened when I was taken in with Loki and it’s been there since.” You said dismissively.

He went to grab a pair of scissors. “Can I mess around with it?” the bud didn’t seem to object by further movement. You nodded, and he began to hack away at it. It didn’t seem to make much of a dent. Just a few faint lines. Nothing else.

You sat back and waved with your other hand. “So, Leia, how are you?” you asked.

 She scribbled away at her whiteboard again. “Bored.” Her handwriting was surprisingly neat for someone of her age. She looked about eight.

You thought it was also quite odd that she was writing instead of speaking but chose not to press in case it was a sensitive thing.

“She can’t talk, born a mute.” Bruce seemed to have read your mind. “Loki found her walking down the streets. Seemingly unharmed I might add. He had me take a look at her.” He said. “She doesn’t say much on the whiteboard either. Just simple sentences.”

You nodded. Bruce was pulling at the plant with tweezers now. He hummed in dissatisfaction. “I can hear it moving from inside, but it doesn’t seem to want to leave your arm. How far down does this thing even go?”  
“Your guess is better than mine.” You shrugged. “I’ve been too scared to mess with it. I haven’t had the time to anyways. Loki’s been keeping me on my toes.”

The stem grew a bit longer. That arouse interest with Bruce as your stomach sank. You said too much.

“It just grew again. Do you know why?” He asked you. You knew but chose not to say. Leia gave you a look. What was up with this kid?

You shook your head. “Nope. Just does that sometimes.” You looked at the fluorescent lights shining overhead. “Maybe it found a good source of nutrients? I don’t know where it would’ve found one. I’m the least healthy person you’ll ever meet most likely.” You snorted.

That got a small giggle from Leia. Bruce looked up at the little girl, who immediately went back to whatever she was doing prior.

“So why does she just chill in here?”

Now it was Bruce’s turn to shrug. “Maybe since I checked her for bruises and scrapes and fixed her up she’s been clinging to me? Maybe she thinks I’m safe.” He looked back at the girl. “Hey, do you think I’m safe?”

Leia only blinked up at him and went back to doodling. She seemed distant.

“I don’t think she’d stay in here if she saw you as a threat?” You tapped the table. “It’s better than being with Loki, the man’s scary.” Another witty remark, another few centimeters added to its never-ending goal.

A small hiss escaped your lips as Bruce tugged on the vine with all of his strength, blood began to oose from the wound. You nearly screamed in pain.

He took that as a note to stop for the day. “Do you… Do you want a band-aid?” He asked. It wouldn’t hurt to have one. So, you accepted as he handed you a green band-aid covered in small dorky looking dinosaurs. You smiled at the funny looking bandage and swung your legs over the side of the table. You straightened out your clothes and smiled up at Bruce.

He didn’t seem to be that mad at you anymore. He seemed more distracted at the fact that you had a puzzle for him to solve. You enjoyed his company and you hoped he enjoyed yours as well.

On that note, Loki’s voice rang through your head like an alarm.

“Child come outside. Visiting’s over.” He said.

You sighed in protest but decided it wasn’t worth the fight. “Bruce, he wants me outside.”

Bruce only waved you off dismissively. “Come back later?” he asked and smiled at you from the other side of the room. You made yourself presentable in the mirror side of the glass.

“You can count on it if he lets me.” You said and knocked on the door to have it open. You stepped out and closed it, locking the scientist in alone.  


	9. Valerian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader and Loki kinda bond a little. I mean, Loki's kinda an asshole. But a loveable asshole

You looked outside and stretched anxiously. “Milord?” You cringed at his given title. It was better and less wordy than ‘Your Highness’ or ‘Your Majesty.’

You felt a tap on your head. You tensed and looked up to find Loki standing there proudly. “I suppose all went well? You seemed to have fun.” He motioned to your flushed face. You weren’t flustered or anything. Just really happy to see he had forgiven you for the mistake he had heard incorrectly.

You only shrugged and looked at the band-aid on your arm. He swiftly grabbed it and inspected it with a small amused snort. “That was quick. How many times did you slip up? And why is it covered by such a ridiculous bandage?”  
“He thought it was interesting and prodded and pulled at it.” You said dismissively. “I screwed up like, once. Nothing too extreme. And the band-aid is cute. A dino doing a kick-flip? Yes please.” You said, trying to cover up your anxiety with your non-existent bravado.

If he had caught note, he chose not to acknowledge it, his smirk only widening. “I have a gift for you.” He said. He crouched down and picked a box off the floor. It was filled with miscellaneous electronic parts and old gaming systems. All seemed to be out of commission. But there were a few batteries and such.

Your eyes brightened. “Woah!” You bounced on your tip-toes. “May I?” You asked as he handed over the box as you held it to your chest. You stifled through it one-handed. Your gears started turning as you thought of all the possibilities. Then it all came to a screeching halt. Why would Loki give this to you? He wouldn’t just _give_ this to you. You looked up at him, your eyes squinting in suspicion. “You wouldn’t happen to be doing this out of the kindness of your heart would you?”

“I wish it was that simple, but I’m afraid not.” He placed a hand on your back as he led you back to his quarters. “There was a big reason I took you, I don’t just go striking deals with everyone. You have a talent. Unlimited potential. I intend to harvest it and use it to aid me.” He sat down at the breakfast bar and patted the seat across from him.

You placed the box down and began to fiddle with it. In the box was a lighter, a screwdriver, some pliers, tweezers, and other things you needed to dismantle a lot of these electronics. “Do I have any specific thing I need to make, or do I just make something random?”  
He thought for a moment. “Make anything.” He said. He wanted to see how creative you could be under his watch.

You grabbed a broken Gameboy and a battery and went to work.

*

You sat in a comfortable silence for the next few hours as he watched you create. You, in the end, had decided to make an RC Gameboy robot. It didn’t really do much. You couldn’t do a lot of things with your limited resources, so you had to use what you had on hand. It could spin, move its arms (if you could even call them that. They were just two small radio antennae with joints bent into them. and you fixed it, so you could play Gameboy games on it. Not that it had any to play. But you didn’t want to leave it a useless slab of plastic with arms and legs.

You were currently controlling it with a small tv remote. You went to town on it though, you were having a blast.

Loki seemed impressed that you could do so much with the things he found in the remains of a RadioShack and a ransacked Game Stop. You had to get creative with a lot of things, which would be good for him. He had a limited amount of resources to get the public to rest under his rule and stop rioting. But now you’d have the alien tech at your disposal, which would either complicate things or simplify them. He wasn’t sure on how you’d react to them, so he’d have to slowly introduce them to you.

Once you were done, you handed him the little robot and the controller. He spun it around in his hand, inspecting it. He was impressed.

“May I try something?” He asked, you knew he was going to do it despite your non-existent protests, but decided to ask you nonetheless.

“I don’t see why not. It’s just a scrap baby.” You snorted.

He scrunched his nose at the name. Bizarre, but he understood what you meant anyway.

He mumbled something in an odd tongue, and the robot began to glow a little bit. He could see the insides now. He inspected them to see what you did exactly. Some wires were held in place in normal ways, others were haphazardly stuck there by paper clips.

“I’m impressed by the fact that you were able to make something somewhat functional.” He hummed and with a wave of his hand, it returned to normal.

“Thanks? I think?” You said and rubbed your neck anxiously, only to feel a cold sensation where the brand was. Which led you to ask a question you had earlier this morning. “Milord, may I ask a question about this whole brand thing?”

His gaze shifted from the robot and up to meet your eyes. “I don’t see why not. Three questions, though. No more. It’s getting late and I don’t want you staying up too late.” He said. “Besides, I would like my bed back, so I’m leading you to your new room.”

“I get a room?” You asked and beamed. You weren’t expecting that.

“Yes. It’s small but better than nothing. Two more questions. You just wasted one.”

You mentally scolded yourself and facepalmed. “Ok um…” You gathered the guts to ask the questions. “So, when we first made a deal back at the safe house, you gave me that small Uroboros thing in my arm. But when you punished me this morning- Ow, by the way. I still have a small nose bleed,” You mumbled as an afterthought but got back on topic. “the one on my wrist was gone. Did it disappear for good or was it replaced by the one on my neck?”

He waved his hand over your arm and the brand was back, but it then faded. “The one on your neck is purely cosmetic. Like having a collar or a tag.” He leaned and put his chin on his hand. “The one on your wrist is to signify that we made a deal. That helps me use magic on you easily without putting in too much effort.” He explained. “If I hadn’t I would have to use far more magic to heal you like when I did this morning. But since I had marked you beforehand, I barely had to use half. It’s because we’re linked now.” He said.

That raised so many more questions. But you only had one to spare. “What does it mean now that we’re linked? Do we share energy or something?”

“That was two questions.” He said and shook his head jokingly. “But I’ll let it slide. We’re linked due to a similar magical bond. Not saying you have magic, my magic has entered your system like a seed. It’ll keep growing until it’s consumed you. By that point, we’ll be close enough that it shouldn’t really matter.” He said. “I suppose in a bizarre way we do share energy. But not yet. It’ll take months at least.”

You poked at your band-aid. “I’m guessing the plant in my arm is similar.”

“Not really. That’s just a time bomb to make sure you make rational and loyal decisions. If you make good ones, you’ll be rewarded. It depends on what you did though. I may just go into your head and clear out some ink, or I may wither away and shrink the plant. Who knows. It’s a spur of the moment decision.”

That sent your mind spinning. “Would you ever… add more ink?” You shuddered.

“No, that’s impossible. Even if I could, it wouldn’t benefit me or you, so I don’t see the point really.” He shrugged. “Now, enough questions. You’ve passed your quota.” He chuckled and stood up. “Now, to show you your room. If you could even call it that. You aren’t claustrophobic, are you?”

“I’m indifferent.” You said. “It doesn’t matter to me”

“Good, because it would’ve been a pain to make it look larger.” He chuckled. How small was it? He led you to a staircase that was in the room, but the room itself was blocked from the main hall.

He stopped you as you were about to embark upstairs by grabbing your wrist. “Your room is down here. Under the staircase.” He said and led you to the side of the stairs. There was a door there, and inside it was a small six by six room with a bed and a small rack of clothes. On your bed lied Rob, who you could most likely fix.

“So, I’m going to live like Harry Potter?”

Loki didn’t understand your reference. “I suppose so. Oh! One more thing. It’s imperative that you do not go upstairs without my supervision. There are things I do not want you to see. You are only to talk to me. It may get lonely, but you have your robot companion.”

“What’s upstairs.”

Loki wasn’t going to dignify your question with an answer, so he made a joke instead. “I understand it may get lonely, child. But I regret to tell you that the stairs cannot speak.”  
You snickered at his pun and looked at him. He was grinning smugly.

“If you’ll excuse me, I have some business to attend to, it’s getting late, so you should retire for the night.” He said and motioned you inside the small room. He handed you the box of random scrap electronics and waved you goodnight before shutting the door on your face.

You sighed and placed the box next to the clothing rack. You changed into the provided PJs and lied back onto the bed, It was comfortable, unlike the floor and the spring mattress back at the safe house.

You closed your eyes and let yourself drift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, it's your friendly neighborhood authors here! We wanna pop by and say thanks uhhh you 33 kudos givers.  
> I'm Ernie, I usually do most of the writing. My partner Mak helps me cuz I'm uncreative AF. 
> 
> E: So what should we say to them?  
> M: I dunno bro.  
> E: Uhhhh puns. Loki Puns.  
> M: Yeah sounds legit.  
> E: So uh, what's one thing you shouldn't ask Loki during sex? "whos your daddy?"  
> M: :(((( It's funny but gee wiz. 
> 
> Welp! See you next weekend! Constructive criticism is always welcome! Thank you for supporting us.


	10. Hyssop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My computer killed itself and I'm writing and uploading on my phone until further notice, so the chapters may be shorter. 
> 
> Reader gets mentally cucked. Wish them luck. Minor mind rape ahead.

The ink was flowing all around the library. It was up to your shoulders now. You couldn’t breathe.

You waded around the ink and tried to get above the steadily rising goop. You climbed onto the bookcases and panted, feeling pounds heavier. Your head ached and spun, the need to wake up filled your bones quicker than the ink filled your head.

Its whispers turned to screams as it tore up the books. The memories you had were turning to static, disappearing with only vague thoughts of that they once were.

It had started. Just as Loki said.

*

You lurched up with a start, hitting your head on the low ceiling, arousing a groan of pain to shoot through your head. It throbbed. You looked around the small room to find Loki beside you, sitting at the small chair in the corner. He somehow fit despite being freakishly tall.

Magic stopped flowing from his fingertips once he had noticed you had awaken. “I’m glad you’re awake, as much as you didn’t want to stay asleep, you needed your rest. I had to hex you to stay asleep for a full eight hours.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re such a handful, aren’t you, child?”

You just sat up, staring blankly.

“Believe it or not, I didn’t do this intentionally. Just poor timing. You did me well yesterday, child. I have no need to punish you. If anything, I feel like a reward is an order.” He smiled and healed the small bruise on your forehead. “Do you remember what I told you about them?”

You could barely think straight. Your head was so fuzzy, you could practically hear the static pouring from your ears.

He gave you a sympathetic look once he had realized what had happened during your night terror. “Its begun, hasn’t it?” He asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Well, I suppose you can’t answer that. You seem so… dead.” He frowned. He had indeed wanted this. He had done it to others before. But this was his first time seeing it in person.

Usually he decided to let them die with no memories or cognitive thought, a vegetable. But he had needed you for something, actually that’s what he was going to tell you once you’d actually had a moment to fully wake up.

But you couldn’t, not without any help at least. You fell forward onto your arms.

“Now you’re just being overdramatic.” He chuckled and caressed your cheek. What was he doing?

Your heart raced despite not being able to understand what was happening.

“You know, my dear I was beginning to question if I had made the right choice, choosing you to be my pupil. You’re too weak to handle spell casting. You act before you think. But that can all change. Besides. It’s only been about three days, and the marigold plant draining your nutrients hasn’t even made you slightly feverish, you’ve got quite the immune system at least. You aren’t completely unfit.” He said and set you to lean on his chest. He was behind you, sitting up on the head of the bed. “Your physical attributes may need some assistance. But you’ll get better in due time.”

You panted slightly. You ached all over, you were sweating quite a bit, and it had almost a dirty tint to it. Black particles began to fill the tiny droplets.

“I suppose I should heal you now, you’ll die in due time if I don’t. What good would come from that? After all this effort I put into you?” He put his hand on your head and pulled your knotted hair away from your face.

He whispered something in your ear, it sounded like a lullaby, it was a spell. You weren’t fully aware of what was happening. But your vision suddenly began to fade as you entered the library once again.

*

You were drowning in it. It was filling your lungs as you drifted further into the dark abyss. Until a hand suddenly grabbed your wrist and pulled you up, placing onto a new, untouched green bookcase.

Ink began to pour from your mouth as it exited your lungs. Finally allowing the crisp air to enter your windpipe. You coughed up the rest of the ink as you began to become aware of your surroundings. You looked down to the floor to find Loki lowering the ink levels, sending waves of euphoria through your head.

The ink had destroyed your first year of existence. The floor was visible now, just small puddles of ink on the wood.

You looked at him, he motioned you to come down onto the ground. You obliged and hopped down.

“Those memories are gone forever now, aren’t they?” You asked, still choking on the ink that was slowly leaving your body.

“Undoubtingly yes.” He said and placed a hand on your back. “You didn’t remember those anyways. Most mortals can’t remember these years. You won’t be missing anything.”

“But what if I remembered some?”

“Well you certainly won’t remember them now.” He said, pulling out of your head.

*

He had held his hands over your eyes. He pulled them away as you sat up, rubbing your eyes.

“Is that better?” He asked and stood up, helping you up alongside him.

You left and went to the kitchen. It was twelve pm. “It’s too late for breakfast, isn’t it?”

He shook his head. “You’ve had a rough morning. Just eat something. It doesn’t really matter what it is at this point.”

You poured yourself a bowl of cereal and began to stuff your face. Loki choked back a chuckle.

“It isn’t going to run away from you. You’ll get sick if you eat it too fast. You aren’t in a rush or anything.”

You tried to speak but choked on the sugary cereal that filled your mouth.

“I need you to do a job for me back in Bruce’s lab” Loki said suddenly.

You then choked for a different reason. A job? What kind of job?

“I want you to dismantle and reassemble some Chitauri Tech. With you and Banner working

together, I want you two to create a bioweapon.”

You finally managed to swallow the mouthful. “A what?! Why do you need a Bioweapon?”

“The world still fights me, child.” He said and looked into your eyes. We’re running out of  ammunition and we need a way to make them submit."

 

“Can’t you just scepter all of them?”

“I wish it was that simple, but I cannot singlehandedly take one scepter and walk around stabbing people with it.” He said and shook his head.

“Why are you asking me to do it? I’m just a kid?”

“I chose you because of your potential. Not because of your age. You have all of the capabilities to do it and you know it. So, cease your whining.” He seethed and stood up.

For some reason that made your heart ache. Maybe you thought you had bonded yesterday. But even if you did it wouldn’t change anything. He still looked at you as a resource. Nothing more.

Why did that make you feel so sad?


	11. Peonies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peaceful solutions are better than violence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YIKES I'M LATE. I'M A WEEK LATE AND A WEEK BEHIND AND I STILL DON'T HAVE A COMPUTER.   
> Yeah that's not fun. So uh. Be gentle with me?

The walk to Bruce’s cell was eerily silent. Loki would give you small, almost guilty glances as you walked down the hallway.

You awkwardly cleared your throat. “H-hey uh about Leia, who is she?”

Loki stiffened. “A girl I found in the rubble of a warehouse. She seemed desperate for help. Thus, I gave her my aid. Is there a problem?”

“I mean no, but you didn’t get anything in return? That doesn’t seem like you, Milord.” You mumbled and hunched over slightly.

He snorted in amusement and looked down at you. “Would you believe I did it from the kindness of my cold heart?”

You only shrugged. “I would be surprised, but not in disbelief. Did she strike a chord with you?”

“Indeed she did. I suppose since she hasn’t gotten used to you, she won’t say anything. I mean, the girl’s a mute, she couldn’t even if she wanted to. But she has her ways.” He said and continued to walk.

“So what happened to her exactly?”  

“She was kidnapped, enslaved, and silenced.” He said. “She had enough of her ‘master’s’ torment and murdered him. Then she burned down the building. Or at least she thinks she did. It was a Chitauri miss fire. I felt guilty about her being caught in it, being severly burned, so I took her back and had Banner look at her. But when he did is when I learned all this.” He said. “I suppose I was being kind, then she was just something I felt bad for.”

You looked down at your arm. The vine hasn’t grown due to your attitude. Maybe he was cutting you some slack after this morning. “Are you keeping her here because you feel sorry for her?”

“Possibly. I suppose I do. But If I’m _completely_ honest, I think she’d be a danger to society if she was left. She didn’t just kill her captor after all. She killed the rest of the girls and animals in the house as well. I don’t think it would be wise to have her in a society like that.”

You shrugged. You arrived at the room after finally making it through the seemingly never-ending hallway. You stared at Leia, drawing on the tile floor in Expo marker. Knowing what had happened to her made you not want to go in there, but it’s not like she would harm you. She couldn’t with Bruce around.

But now you wondered what was running through that young head of hers.

You looked at Loki and back at the door. “Are you coming in with me this time? To help elaborate on this ‘bio-weapon?’”

He wordlessly strode inside, answering your question.

You saw Leia stiffen and run to the back room, disappearing from sight. “I'm taking that as a yes then.” You walked behind him and peeked over at Bruce. You waved awkwardly and smiled at him.

“Evening Loki.” He said and spun around in his office chair. He was thinking extremely hard on something. He would usually hate spinning. He just seemed so detracted. “And company”

“Hey I've known you longer than he has. If anything _he's_ the company.” You huffed and crossed your arms over your chest.

“Anyways. Why is he here today? Any special news? You didn't screw up the kid already did you?” Bruce turned to loki. “You already have that weird plant growing in their arms.” He stood up, slightly dizzy from spinning so much.

“Bold of you to assume it's only their arm that's ‘screwed up’” Loki walked over and leaned on the counter. “but no, that's not why I'm here. I've come with an order”

“An order?”

“Yeah it's not fun” you mumbled awkwardly. The plant sprung to attention and poked a hole in the bandage. You growled and looked up at Loki, who gave you a not-so-pleasant smile.

“I may have cut you some slack for almost killing you this morning but you're more than capable of shutting up and letting me finish”

You turned to Bruce and rubbed your wrist.

“As I was saying previously, you and the child will be tasked with making a bio-weapon. But not the kind _they_ think it is”

You went to full attention.

“I simply want something to guarantee their obedience. Currently the citizens of the states I'm taking over aren't too pleased, and are starting riots, leaving us no choice but to gun them or fight back. I want something that'll just quiet them until I can get the situation handled.”

“So you don't want them to die?”

“Not if they don't have to. What's the point in being a ruler if all your subjects are dead?”

You hummed and sat down on a bean bag chair that was actually just a trash bag filled with laundry. “So no harming anything?”

“No. No killing people. If you need to get your hands dirty then so be it. But simply killing them will result in punishment.”

“What if they kill themselves? As a result of the weapon thingy?”

“You didn't kill them so I suppose it's not a punishable offense. Just... Child,” he turned to you. “why do you care about that part so much?”

“I accidentally killed a lot of people instead of saving them while fighting from the tower. I don't want to do that again.”

He shrugged. “Very well then. Hmm…” He pondered on something unknown. “we'll make an offer to them, and if they fail they'll get punished”

“And you'll punish them by the weapon thing?” It was Bruce now. He didn't like any of this. You didn't either but it's not like you could refuse.

“Indeed”

“Well what would be something to scare them with?” You asked. “We don't want to harm them. So we don't need a weapon. We just have to be creative. Do... Do we have to make a weapon?” You turned to Loki, who was debating an answer.

“You know, maybe not. Do you have any other ideas, child?”

“... We could scare them. Dangle the illusion of terrible fatal consequences in front of their faces. But in reality maybe they just have to do something mundane like servitude or something.”

“That's disappointing. I was going for something more intimidating”

“Well they don't know what the punishment is. They just know it'll be bad. So you could do what you please to those who oppose, because it'll fall under the umbrella term of a bad punishment”

Bruce nodded and walked over to you. He gave you a pat on your back. “I think that's a good idea. I never really liked violence… Despite... You know.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

“Then I don't need you two at all then, do I? If you prefer peaceful alternatives then what do I need you for?”

“Milord, if you're going to rule shouldn't you aim for a bloodless reign as much as possible? Yes, you want submission and all that, but wouldn't it be better if you got submission by choice and not by fear? They might even learn to tolerate you. Love you, even. You don't want to be the next Vlad the Impaler of this time or anything”

He thought on that. You might have actually done something worthwhile without doing anything.

“And with Mr. Bruce and I, we can let you know if you... Do something not-so-good?” You were trying to give him a reason to not throw you out. Without him, the ink would kill you. You didn't want to die by ink.

You needed him.

You had given your life to him and you didn't want it to go to waste.          


	12. Hydrangeas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into the kids past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MY COMPUTER IS STILL DEAD I'M SORRY IT JUST TAKES ME A WHILE TO WRITE ON MY TINY ASS PHONE SCREEN. I'LL TRY TO UPDATE BI MONTHLY.

*

While the two of you left the office, Loki oozed malicious energy. He turned to you and yanked you by the sweater.

"You insolent fool. Have you forgotten your place already?"

Your heart sank. "W...What? I was simply trying to come up with a peaceful solution! Violence won't solve violence and I just thought that-"

You felt an agonizing ache in your arm. The vine was beginning to crawl up your arm to your wrist. A small flower bloomed from the bud at the top.

"And when did I ask for your input? I asked for your obedience, not your opinion"

"Well I-"

The vine was up your forearm after reaching the tip of your middle finger. You were feeling dizzy and fell against the wall.

"Child, I chose you because you have the potential to build what you wish. Now you have the potential to build what I want you to. If you don't do what I brought you here to do, what was the point of bringing you here? The point of sparing you?"

"No! No if you that means you're going to kill me and them...I don't...I..." Tears began to pour. "I don't want to be at fault for anything or anyone dying please I'm sorry please don't kick me out!" You grabbed his tunic from your position on the floor. You were begging. You felt low; you felt dirty.

He threw your hand to the side. He knelt down to meet your glance, his malcontent turned to bitter amusement. He lifted your head. "Child, at ease~" he mused. "Let us return to your Chambers. I think you're head is getting cloudy again." He said.

"... It doesn't feel cloudy. I'm just scared. I'll be okay I'll do what you want!"

"Why are you so scared?" He asked, his tone significantly calmer than before. "I'm not going to kill you. Besides, you're barely out of the womb. It would be a waste to kill you. Do you remember nothing from that file? I would not have killed you to begin with." He said. "you're no use if you're dead. You're more use a quivering mess than a corpse. I can't use a corpse, child."

Was that supposed to make you feel better? It made your stomach twist, if anything. You got up off the tile and leaned against the wall to make it to the bedroom. "...I still don't think I need my ink checked though, you just checked it not too long ago..."

"Do not question me, you're already in trouble due to what you said around Banner, do not think this is a reward, child. I could destroy all of your memories with a wave of my hand. Who's to say I won't?"

"Well that definitely makes me want to not let you in my head."

"Bold of you to assume you have a choice in the matter, child."

You shuddered and walked with him back to the room. "So... What should I... Do I just like, lay on the couch? The bed?"

He sat down on the couch and patted the spot beside him.

You had no choice but to oblige and sit next to him. Your heart was racing a mile a minute.

"I thought I told you to calm down." He scolded. He lied you on his lap and covered your eyes with his hand, just like this morning... But now... Now you were awake. Now you could feel him. His hands were freezing. Like someone drenched his hands in cold water. Then the cold water hit you, you were awake, aware. What was he doing? Was he going to do anything? Didn't you two make a promise not to?

Your heart was beating faster now, any faster and it would jump out of your chest.

Your eyelids felt heavy. Like his hands were dragging them down, despite him not even making you close them. Was it the cold? His presence? Why was your heart rate decreasing?

Why? How? So many unanswered questions.

A low hum emitted film his throat. You swore it was a spell... It was making you tired. Your head was spinning, you were calming down, whether you wanted to or not.

But that's when he started to sing.

You swore this was a dream. One if those surreal dreams that would never really happen. He wouldn't do this. He's angry at you.

What if this is your punishment? The looming possibility of pain and suffering, but never being sure of when it'll arrive.

It came slowly at first. You didn't have to wait long. He knew exactly what he wanted to do to you. He knew what he wanted to show you.

Your eyes closed as he began to sing.

*

*

You're eight years old, Christmas, two thousand and four. Your parents get you a PS2 for Christmas. You want to play Crash Bandicoot with your dad, but both parents get called into work. You spend Christmas alone. They don't come back for five days.

You're ten years old, first day of school. You miss the bus and your parents aren't home. They aren't home a lot anymore. You've learned to take care of yourself. You don't need them anyways. They return a week later.

It's your first Lego robotics competition. You win first place and you want to go to meet your parents in the audience. They said they'd go. They've been gone a month now.

You're twelve. You've got a room filled with Lego robots. You dismantle your dad's old Gameboy and make a real robot from it. He doesn't talk to you, but you can control him with a TV remote. You name him Rob. Rob is your only friend. Your parents called in to check on you, five minutes in, they leave. Saying that they've got a client. It's been five months.

Two months ago. You're accepted into an internship at Stark industries. Your parents are happy for you. Especially happy that it'll look good on your resume. You'll be able to get a good job. You'll make them rich. It's been a year since you've seen them in person. You don't care anymore.

Three weeks ago. You tell them that you can't talk for a while, something came up at the internship and they should keep track of the news. You want them to pray for you and you'll try to check in. You hang up the phone and begin to command your robot army to try to save New York. They leave you on read.

*

*

You bolt up from his lap and look up at him, you scramble away and onto the floor. "So that's your game."


	13. Cacti

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kid makes a phonecall

  
He pulled your cracked iphone from your old belongings that he seemed to have stolen when he stole your old clothes.   
He tossed it to you from the counter. "Child, I want you to contact your parents."  
You nearly dropped your already shattered phone. "Excuse me? Why? What would that do for you?" You looked down at your phone. "Or me?"  
The vine from your forearm went up your shoulder. You shut up immediately.   
"I thought they might want to see their kid." He said coldly.   
"They never want to see me"  
"They've taken you for granted. They won't know what they've lost until it's gone."  
"You hit me below the belt, milord. I don't believe I've done anything wrong.   
"I haven't done anything either. Yet you perceive me a monster. We all have different views and morals, child. Now, call them before the vine eats up your neck and drains the blood from your internal carotid." He snarled.   
You immediately picked up your phone. "Audio or video call?"  
"Video. I want them to see you" He looked at you and sighed.   
"You're just going to make it harder for everyone this way, but okay..." You groaned and put their business number in. They'd definitely answer that one.   
"Hello this is-"  
"Mom and Dad. I need to hear from them, Morgan and Joshua. I'm their kid. Tell them it's an emergency."  
"They're in a meeting right now"  
"Great for them. Tell them it's urgent."  
There was a long pause from the other side of the line, followed by an exasperated sigh. "Fine. You've got fifteen minutes, I can call a quick lunch break." The secretary groaned.   
"Thanks-"  
You were put on hold. You turned to face Loki. "Why are you making me do this? Is this my punishment?" You asked and looked at him coldly.   
He didn't say anything to you, just watched your shaking hand in interest. You were spilling over with nerves. You didn't want to face them. Not after the cold reception they gave you three weeks ago.   
Did they even care?  
You tried to hold still, you began to sweat with nerves, refusing to take off your jacket.   
"Hello-" You heard you mother's voice cave in to static. It was amazing how you still managed to have cell service though all this, though Loki was probably responsible for that.   
"Hey Mom. It's me. I'm putting you on face time, I need to see you"   
"Fine just make it quick. You interrupted a very important meeting."  
"More important than me? I'm guessing you've forgotten where I am. Have you been watching the news recently? Do you even get it where you are? Or are you too busy?"  
Your Dad got into the conversation as the screen connected to video.   
There they were, perfectly fine, no scars or cuts. Your mom was wearing makeup and your dad looked as clean cut he always did.   
Then there was you.   
Your hair was a mess, your dark circles rivaled that of a raccoon, and you were deathly pale.   
They didn't even bat an eye.   
"Have you been pulling all nighters again? What have we told you about doing those? You'll get wrinkles!" Said your mother, brushing her bleach blonde hair from her face.   
"Mom, you're in Germany. Surely you heard about the attack a few days ago? That weird man attacked a party or something?"  
"Yeah, it didn't really bother us kiddo. Why? Are you worried about us?" Your Dad smiled at you.   
"He took over New York." You said coldly.   
"That's terrible! Where are you?"  
"New York. You left me for another business trip a few months ago. How are you doing? Living it up?" You snarled. Why were you acting like this? You don't hate your parents. They just disappoint you constantly. Why are you being so cold? You could ruin what little you have!  
"You look okay though, I mean, you're able to call us. Is Mr. Stark with you? How's the intern-"  
"Mom I swear to God I'm going to strangle you. Let me finish!" You roared.   
She looked at you in awe.   
"I'm guessing by your attitude it didn't go well."  
"Mom..." You growled and put the phone on the table in front of the couch. "They were using me to get publicity. It didn't go well. The world is literally in shambles down here and you aren't even caring! You know that strange man? His name is Loki. He's a god. And if it weren't for him I can't tell where I'd be."  
"So he saved you?"  
"SAVED?! Big fucking stretch mom. Look at my face. Do I look SAVED?!" You screamed. "He's actually right next to me. He took me."  
"Why did he do that?"  
"God only knows." The vine grew to your collarbone. "Mom, do you even think of me while you're down there? Is it all money and wine? Have fun with your fancy parties?"  
They went silent then.   
You hadn't even noticed you were crying. You didn't notice that your are making quick work of your arms with your nails.   
"Are you having fun without me? How's it been over there? You don't have to worry about anything! It's all just money to you. If you hadn't wanted a child than you should've given me away or killed me or aborted me or something! Any of that would be better than where I am now. I'm going to die soon, Mom."  
You were sobbing now.   
Loki looked at you in interest and... Pity?  
He suddenly got into the frame and waved his hand in welcome.  
"Evening! I trust you have more important business to attend to so I'll make this swift." He said. He grabbed the vine and yanked you towards him. Blood began to spurt from the holes in you skin.   
"I have your child with me, they've been with me for a few days now, and I must admit, I wasn't expecting them to act like this when confronted with danger. They've been very mature, believe it or not. Only a few punishments have been put in motion. This being one of them." He pulled you to his lap.  
"They don't seem to be doing very well, now that they're seeing you. I've never seen them so upset before, for once, they're willingly showing vulnerability."  
"They aren't usually like this-"  
"And how often do you see them? I personally think I know more about them now than you ever have."  
It was your Dad's turn to get upset. "Listen here you space terrorist, you didn't raise them-"  
"And you did?" He interjected.   
"We've known them longer than you-"  
"Yet you don't know what I have, do you truly know them at all?"  
They went silent. He had hit a nerve.   
"Oh my, it looks like you have thirty seconds until your fifteen minutes is up." He said and looked down at a pocket watch that wasn't there moments ago. "Why don't you say your final goodbyes, hmm?"  
You weren't interested in saying anything to them. They just looked at each other, wordless.   
"Fuck you." You snarled and hung up.


	14. Lily

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aftermath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BIG OL TRIGGER WARNING PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION AND AN OPEN MIND  
> -Self harm  
> But Loki gives a half-pep talk so it's okay??? Not really but you know. Stay safe

You huffed and wiped away what tears were left on your face. Your arms tucked in the opposite sweater sleeves, scratching away at your arms. You were frantic, you found breathing difficult. What are you to do? You needed someone to talk to. But you couldn't talk to Loki. You couldn't show vulnerability. 

But you know, that was all useless now. You were still crying, hacking away at your arms with your dirty, unkempt nails.

Your skin peeled, blood began to trickle down your arms. You thought you had stopped crying when you had hung up, but now... You couldn't stop. It was silent, coming in small bursts and heaves.

Your heart raced and threatened to beat out of your ribcage.

The room was closing in, your vision blurred.

Loki put his hand on your shoulder, causing you to tense. You looked up at him.

He wasn't mad, upset, no.

He was...smiling?

You pushed his hand away from your shoulder, causing his hand to grab yours.

You lost it. You crashed into his chest and began to cry.

His eyes widened, but eventually softened. He sighed and looked down at you. You'd never allowed yourself to be vulnerable in front of anyone.

Not your mom, your dad, not even online. Nobody had to know what was going on with you. Nobody had to know.

Now the one person you didn't want to know... Was comforting you?

You'd likely get punished for this later.

You didn't care right now. That was future you's problem.

Right now you just needed to cry. And to your surprise, Loki let you. He wasn't stopping you, he wasn't scolding you, he wasn't judging you. He was letting you wallow.

You were happy about that, despite hating your current situation, it made you feel better. You could have these moments and not be punished immediately.

"... I'm sorry" you said quietly, shaking as if you'd been doused in cold water.

He looked down at you. "Why are you apologizing? There's nothing to be sorry about. You're human, you're a child, you have feelings. What's so wrong about that?"

You couldn't look at him. "... I'm just sorry you have to see me like this... I'm supposed to be of use to you... You brought me here... Because you had a use for me. I'd die any other way and I didn't even do what you wanted... I just didn't want to hurt anybody and..." You clutched his tunic. "and I wanted to be seen as an equal... Adults don't let emotions hinder their decisions or rationality."

"Yes they do, my dear." He looked out the window. "They do more than you know. And as much as you want to be treated as an adult, you're still growing." His hand stroked your head. "And that's not terrible like you think it is."

You curled your legs to your chest and took your hands from your sweater sleeves. "I think like an adult"

He laughed at that, not mockingly, though. Genuinely. "Even adults act childish. A child should be allowed to act childish, but you didn't have that luxury." He said. "You had to grow up too soon. Now since you've 'grown up' in a child's body, you're confused. And I suppose that's alright"

You were surprised by his reaction to your breakdown, almost touched. He didn't patronize you, take advantage, or even punish you. He was trying his best to calm you down.

He looked down at your arms and took a deep breath. "Though we will have to talk about that nasty habit." He said. He stood up and gently took your hands, dragging you to the restroom.

"I would usually be upset at the fact that you're doing this to yourself but I'm also aware that your brain is currently an inkwell. So I'm not sure how to assess this." He took a step back and motioned you to sit on the rim of the tub. 

You obliged and rubbed your arms, they burned, but it calmed you. It distracted you from the wirlpool of thoughts from your parents interaction.

He grabbed your wrist. "Take off that filthy sweatshirt. You smell horrid" He looked at you with the same calculating gaze as he did before.

I guess it's time to face the repercussions of your actions. It couldn't go unchecked for now.

Reluctantly, you pulled off your sweatshirt, revealing the past scars of your destructive habits.

They ran up your arm up to your shoulders, ending at your collar bones. You looked away, ashamed to face him.

"Why?" He asked. "If you don't want to be seen as a child, then break childish habits. Such as this."

You frowned. He was back to normal now unfortunately.

"You are no use to me like this. You can't focus on your work if you're making marks on your arm. I'm going to have to take away more ink after this endeavor, it grows when these things happen. They have more power because you give in to them."

You growled under your breath, earning a warning glance from him.

"Keep your anger in check, I understand you're upset right now but you have no need to take it out on me. I'm not the one who did this to you"

You fumed silently and held out your arms. He took them in his hands and moved them around, assessing the damage.

"A foolish decision." He said. "If I am to heal this for you, you are to promise never to do this again, and if I catch you doing so..." He looked down at you. He didn't need to finish, you knew what he meant.

"...I promise." You mumbled and looked away from him. "I won't keep this habit. But please remember that old habits die hard. It isn't as simple as just stopping-"

"Do you promise to stop or will I leave you to bleed?"

He wasn't even listening. Most likely he didn't understand, either that or he simply didn't care and wanted an answer.

"I promise." You made prolonged eye contact.

He held your hands together with one hand and placed his free hand on your wrists. You felt a slight burning sensation, but then it faded along with the scars and burns.

"Remember your promise."

"I will..."

"Now come, let's eat. After that we'll take care of the ink"


	15. Winter Rose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader realized that they got themselves into

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy holidays! Sorry we're two weeks late! Holidays got us swamped. Especially our finals (which we aced btw).   
> I don't know how long this chapter is but it went every which way but I'm kinda proud   
> -ernie

*

Your meal was awkwardly silent. No scolding, you hadn't bothered to say anything, he hadn't either.

You just ate.

It was delicious, considering you hadn't had a real meal in what felt like forever.

Someone under the control of the scepter had made it, rotisserie chicken. Seasoned to perfection and mouthwatering.

Maybe the conversation you could've had would've ruined your appetite anyways, silence was for the best.

It was about three in the afternoon now. It was too late for lunch but too early for dinner. But it would tie you off until morning.

You wanted to say something, but the unease from the previous conversation still lingered.

You finished your lunch dinner and stood up, only to have his arm push you down onto the chair again.

"You are not to leave until I dismiss you, it's disrespectful."

You awkwardly fiddled with your sweatshirt sleeves. "Sorry Your Majesty"

"That's a new title, an accurate one at that." He stood up. "I wasn't a Lord, but you were trying so I wasn't going to scold you. My Liege would have been much more appropriate." He planted his chin on his palm.

You playfully gave a small curtsey. "My Liege"

He rolled his eyes and shook his head in mock disapproval. "You seem tense despite your humorous jabs; you're still upset about that phone call?"

"You know it's not just that..." You grumbled. "I just... I don't have many people to rely on anymore. It kinda sucks, not being able to converse without the fear of slipping up. Being able to talk freely was a privilege, not a right. I realize that now. Much to my dismay anyways."

He looked over your way to find your eyes glassy and clouded with grief.

"It took me meeting you to realize how easy I had it, you know? There's always someone that has it worse, you take what you have for granted, not realizing that you're blessed- I mean the royal 'you' and not you specifically. In terms you know? I'm really talking about me." Your head fell into your hands. "Even now there are those who have it worse. So I shouldn't be complaining, it's been a long few years without backbone and now I have to grow some."

"You know, child, I was in your shoes once," he placed a hand on his brand on your neck. "I was naïve and foolish. I thought I had the upper hand in most situations but how that attitude came back to bite me. You're like me, almost."

Your head peeked up.

He shook his head. "Don't get too flattered. I was going to say how you're going though that now because you're stubborn. It'll come back to bite you if you don't behave." He motioned to your head. "Remember, I didn't break that music box in your head. It was you. You could potentially be put into a vegietative state, and it would be your fault. You're lucky I'm having pity on you, those who handled me were not so kind."

You nodded. You were beginning to feel tired and dizzy. You thought it was because you have overworked yourself until you saw Loki stand up.

"Good, I was wondering if I hadn't casted it right."

You furrowed your brow in fatuiged confusion. "What do you mean?"

Before you could ask anything further, you collapsed onto the table, fast asleep.

*

You were back in the library floating on a couch that had happened to stay above the ink.

The ink seemed to be higher than before. The smell became suffocating, and it was almost impossible to breathe. It was like someone took a million ballpoint pens and snapped the ink holsters in half.

Loki was taking his time cleaning it up, it seemed to have taken over your third to fifth birthdays.

You frowned. "I was so stupid. Why did I have to go and break that box? Why was there ink in the box? None of this makes any sense."

"We're in your brain. Nothing makes sense, your thoughts were so scattered I had a hard time navigating." Loki called to you from the other side of the room.

"Does everybody have a music box filled with ink?" You asked.

"Not specifically a music box. Your love for tinkering with things must've brought that to your head instead of something else like a wine glass or a stuffed animal."

"Huh. How many times have you seen this sort of thing?"

"Well more times than I'd like to admit if that's what you're wondering. Though most times I let the ink consume them once they are not of use to me."

"So you kill them?"

"They are still alive for the most part." He said and began to wander the library, the floor was visible now.

"Do I want to know?"

"Even if you did I wouldn't tell you. It would frighten you. I have a job for you, so don't worry about me killing you. Though it was exceedingly frustrating to bring you here in hopes of you and Banner helping me constructing something, only to find out you didn't want to even give it a start."

"I didn't want to kill anybody."

"You wouldn't have. I would."

You pinched the bridge of your nose. "Providing the weapon is as bad as pulling the trigger."

"I beg to differ, but if you aren't willing to make the weapon for me then I won't have a use for you..." He trailed off, implying what he needed to.

You understood. "I understand. I'll talk to Mister Bruce when I can and discuss the thingy."

"Much better" he continued to clean up your mess and shook his head in disappointment. "You're such a mess. Though now I know that you were like that before encountering me." He stretched gracefully and walked over to you. "How long were you like that?"

"Like what?" You knew what he was talking about, but didn't want to answer him.

"Don't play with me, child. How long have you been doing..." He motioned to your arms. "that."

"At first I did it for my parents attention, I'm willing to admit that. Though I was about ten years old and I was watching too much age inappropriate television and I saw that it worked for them." You looked up. "It didn't work. They never noticed it. But I didn't stop. I then realized that I wasn't going it for them anymore. I was doing it for me."

"How was that benefiting you?"

"It was a distraction from my parents. It made my mind focus on the fact that my arms were itchy or bleeding or blistering. Something different that wasn't my parents. Though now that I say it out loud it makes me sound super dumb."

"Not particularly." Loki was close now. He took a seat next to you on the couch. "I was constantly overshadowed by my elder brother. My father was always comparing me to him and never listened to anything I had to say. So instead I confided in myself until I learnt to talk more openly to my mother." He looked down at his hands.

"Oh... Well I guess that makes me feel better? Knowing you were in a similar situation is somewhat comforting."

"Yes, that was the point. I'm glad it worked."

"Though your majesty, if I may ask a favor?"

He looked over at you. "You aren't in any position to be asking favors of me."

You frowned and looked away. "Oh, ok."

"Don't think that we shared a moment means that we're equals."

"But you said that's what we were when we made a deal-"

"I said I'd treat you just like everyone else. I didn't say how I treated others."

You'd been played.


	16. M a r i g o l d

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader screws up for like the fifth time so far

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry we're late! I had the flu and unfortunately, Mak and I don't have any classes this semester, but we'll make this work.   
> We have an Instagram for our writing! Its   
> Bewildered_wanderers   
> So if you want to keep track of updates and news, it's all there!

Just"What?" Your voice started off quiet and controlled, but then grew to a soft growl, laced in anguish. "What do you mean? That's not what we agreed to."

"No, that's not what you agreed to. You need to read the fine print before you sign a contract."

"But you said you'd treat me like an equal"

"Kings don't have to justify and treat subjects as royals. I treat all my subjects equally."

"So I didn't benefit from this at all."

"If you wish to see it that way then I suppose you didn't. But I think it was better for you in the long run, considering you'd still be with people who only wanted you for publicity."

"Don't bring them up. You're worse than them and you know it."

The vine grew to your neck. You could feel it from your physical form.

"The last time I've checked, I didn't intentionally harm you for my own benefit. You were acting on your own accord and have had to face repercussions. You put yourself in this situation, child. Don't forget I could easily let this ink consume you."

"But you won't, because you need me. That phrase isn't a threat anymore. I'm going to build that weapon with Mr. Bruce. You won't kill me until I'm done, even then who's to say you will?"

The vine stabbed back into your skin. You winced in pain and grabbed your neck, you were bleeding.

"I won't kill you unless you give me a good reason to, child and if you keep up this talk you might as well be sent to your gave! Remember, what I'm doing for you? This ink? It's a privilege for me to get rid of this, understand? I could easily let you drown in your ink and foggy neural membranes. But will I? No. You've dug yourself into a hole my dear, now put away the shovel." For once, he was genuinely yelling at you. It was terrifying.

You thought him just being annoyed and snippy was scary, but this made you shiver.

"I'm doing you a service, getting rid of this ink. I'm trying to preserve your memories."

"If you want to get rid of this ink, why don't you? You're always leaving something behind, Loki! Always a puddle or a drop of ink so that it'll come back! Why do you even do that? Why is it still coming back?"

"I need to yank on your chain and keep you in your fucking place, though it seems you've forgotten it!" He gave you a hard backhanded slap on the back of your head with so much force to bring you to the ground, your face falling into a puddle.

You got the disgusting liquid in your mouth, causing you to gag and spit it up onto the ground.

Loki put his boot on your head, pressing down until you whimpered in pain.

"Let me clarify some things-" your name was drowned out by the ink getting into your ears. "the last time I checked, I owned you. You willingly gave yourself to me, body, mind, and soul." His heel dug into your neck. "I call the orders, child. Not you! The way you speak is entitled, you haven't learned your place. I was thinking you've made progress but it seems I was dearly mistaken!"

He threw you back up to face him. He pressed his forehead to yours. "You've lost this privilege, you've lost the ability to have your mind cleaned of ink. I'll stop it completely when you've learned your place."

"Wait what no-"

*

You felt light. Someone was taking memories and pages from your books in your head and moving them, your mind was a mess.

You seemed to be awake. Loki, though, was no where to be found.

Was he still in your head? Was he moving things? Or was he taking care of business outside? After all he has more to deal with than just you.

You remembered what he had told you inside your brain, how he'd stop cleaning up until you've learned your lesson.

Thinking back you realized how bratty you were, here he was, doing something he didn't need to do, and you were complaining about his work.

You should've kept your mouth shut.

Now you were going to have to pay. 

You sat on your bed in the small room you were assigned. You didn't want to move.

You could, but what good would that do? You didn't want him to see you and talk to you. That conversation wouldn't end well.

So instead you took the cowards way out and took up a pen and paper from your things and began to write.

'Your Majesty,

I sincerely apologise for my outburst earlier in the library. I was upset at myself for failing to know what I was getting into so recklessly.

I shouldn't have called you by your name, it was very rude of me to do so and as an apology... I actually don't know what I'll do. I'm technically supposed to do what you want me to anyways so I don't know if there's a way to satisfy that. But you know, if you think of something...?

I'm going to start working on the blueprints and ideas for the weapon, as much as I'd really not like to, it needs to be done.

I'll show you the blueprints to run them by you before I take them to Mr. Bruce.

I apologise for my actions.

Sincerely-'

Your pen ran out of ink when it came time to write your name, but you figured no one else would be so stupid to make him so furious in the first place.

You crept around the suite and went to find his room, eventually stumbling across it. You saw another ball point pen, signed your name and doodled a small vine with a Marigold coming out of it. You placed it on his nightstand and went to work on the blueprints.

Unbeknownst to you, Loki sat in you head, watching the ink flood as you placed the note, pondering about how many people the weapon would kill.


	17. Freesia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader has a conversation with the young, but very intelligent Leia, and learns some very important details.  
> Meanwhile, Loki is talking to the avengers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO SORRY FOR THE UNANNOUNCED HIATUS! I'm your lovely author Ernie, and I have been in the hospital!  
> "But Ernie." I hear you ask. "why didn't you write while you were in bed?"  
> And to that I reply "I've been too busy being distracted by doctors, IVs and bloodwork to notice! Boy don't you love internal bleeding!"

*

Bruce wasn't in the lab at the moment, according to Leia. She was scribbling away at her whiteboard.

You sat down next to her to on the floor, she looked up at you.

'How are you?'

"I'm... Ok. I had a big fight with Loki recently. I'm only here cuz I was looking for Mr. Bruce but he's not here."

'Are you going to leave?' You shook your head.

"No. I told him I'm going to work on the weapon, but... You know." You looked down at your arm. "I have the ideas down I just needed him to run them over." You picked at your wrist where the vine poked out of your arm. "I'm very confused as to why Loki choose a flower do put in my arm. Is that even in his powers?"

Leia looked confused and shook her head. 'What flower?'

"What do you mean 'what flower?' I mean the one protruding from my arm."

She shook her head. 'It's not in his skill set. I can't see it.'

"What do you mean you can't see it? Mr. Bruce can see it."

'I can see though Loki's powers. What's why I'm here. If I can't see it, it's not real.'

Well that was surprising.

"Then what is it?"

‘He's most likely pinching veins and putting an illusion over it. He can't create life. That's dumb.'

"Huh. I've been lied to for... What. That makes this the third... Fourth time today by him alone?"

'You sound suprised. He's the God of mischief and lies.'

"Don't make me feel dumb. You're like, ten. Though you're pretty well written for a ten year old."

She shook her head. 'You pick up Loki's language once you're around him long enough. If I could still speak, I'd sound like a ten year old.'

"Loki said you couldn't speak because... You were captured and silenced, right?"

'Liar. He's lying to you. Fifth time today.' She started to make a small tally chart in the corner of the white board.

You rolled your eyes. From the amount of eye rolling, glaring, and crying you've been doing recently, you're pretty sure if your eyes were a person, they'd be buff by now.

She erased half of the fifth. 'Well I mean, you're kinda wrong but mostly right.'

"What do you mean?"

'I was kidnapped. He didn't lie about that. I did murder the one who did it and set the place on fire, but my captor didn't silence me.' She looked down and began to shake a little bit.

You put your hand on her shoulder and gave it a friendly squeeze. "It's okay if you don't want to talk-"

She shoved the white board in your face. 'Loki did.'

*

Loki was having a 'civilized' talk with the avengers, via an illusion in the safe house living room.

Tony hadn't forgiven himself for what he put you though, you had every right not to trust him, but why you decided to trust Loki more? He had no idea.

He was bandaged, but healing well. Nat was doing better too.

The others were pretty much unscathed. They'd been gathering recruits for the rebellion though S.H.I.E.L.D and housing them in the safe space.

"I'm aware of what you've been gathering civilians and hiding them away from me, I'm not surprised. I'm impressed they've been safe from my Chitauri. The ones in the streets of course, are not so fortunate."

The group had changed to another safe house soon after the break in. It didn't take Loki long to find it, due to the others still bringing your tech along. It's sad that they thought you were coming back.

"Look Reindeer Games," Began Tony. "Just wait, I see what you're doing. You're going to trick us into going into the streets and then you'll apprehend us. We aren't stupid. Contrary to popular belief."

"I'm not implying that at all~" he mused and walked towards Tony and cupped his cheeks.

He couldn't feel Tony, but Tony could feel a tiny electric current running though his body, and not the one that's always there.

He shuddered and moved his head away.

"In fact, your little protege and Banner have been working diligently for me. They're working on a weapon to help aid in the attacks."

There was a collective tense in safe house number twos living room.

 "You've got them under your scepter's control, I know Bruce for a fact." Said Natasha. "But you turned the Kid to your side? They're too young to be in this situation."

"This situation that you all helped put them in. If it weren't Stark's publicity stunt, this poor child wouldn't have been in harm's way. And now they are. They're so smart, it makes them stupid. So naïve. And you knew that when you took them in, that's how you got them to believe your lies, Stark."

"Look, I understand what you're trying to do and it's not working. I get it. You're guilt tripping me. This is my fault? Really? You're the one who randomly decided you wanted to get a fancy title. You wanted attention that you were deprived. And now you're here. I admit, using the kid was quite shady of me. And I regret it. I know they don't want to talk to me, that's fine. I did something to make them upset and they have every right to be upset. You didn't have to swoop down and take them."

Nat put her hand on Tony's shoulder. He was practically shaking with rage.

"Calm yourself. You're giving him things to use. You're upset, Stark. You're angry. But for once shut it."

"I forgot to tell you something very important." Loki began to fade out of the living room.

"The child isn't even under my control"


	18. A quick apology

OH GOD I'M SO SO SORRY SCHOOL HAS BEEN SWALLOWING ALL OF MY TIME BUT I PROMISE I'LL UPDATE SOON!

I hadn't even realized it had been so long and the fact that I left off on such a big cliffhanger!

I'm so sorry for my absence folks!

To make up for it, here's a few facts about the child and how we write them!

-We don't like giving the names of our characters! It'll kill the immersion! Not to mention the dreaded (y/n) makes me wanna hurl. 

Like don't you hate it when you're reading a good story and then it's very high tension and you just see "(Y/n)! I'm so sorry please stay with me" and like, yeah you use people's names in conversation, but how often do you really?

I'll be talking to Mak but I won't say her name constantly, it's weird. So we tend to avoid it

-we, infact, do have a name and gender for this character. We won't reveal it because that, too, will kill the immersion. But it's mainly for convenience sake so the face time calls don't go like:

"hey babe what is the reader going to do this chapter? How does it effect them?"

It's far easier to go 

"Hey babe what is (the name we have them) going to do? How will it effect (gender)?"

If course it doesn't sound easier written. But trust me!

\- I got the inspiration for the flowers that aren't really there from the fake hanahaki disease. It's really fun to draw too. Flowers everywhere!

\- we had to cut off the readers parents from the story. We didn't want to kill them, rather we wanted them to resent them and to hate them. We wanted them to be emotionally vulnerable in a certain place so that Loki could poke around in that disturbing little demon!

-the ink. I won't go too much into it, but I'll ask a simple question to get your gears turning. If Loki can get rid of the ink in intervals, can he get the job done all at once? Will he? If he can, why isn't he? 

\- I've made too many old Nintendo console references. I kinda imagine the reader to be well educated on those things, since they like to build things, I figured they would also like to play video games to figure out how they're made! ROB the robot? Yeah that was a console add on for the NES. So we decided to name the short-lived robot in the story after the flopped gaming extension. Poor thing only had two games ;-;

-loki has a shit ton of ulterior motives

    -what's upstairs?

    -what purpose does keeping liea serve?

    - why is he actually keeping the reader?

 That's it for right now, I'll work on an update soon! I don't know if I'll ever finish this story, but I'll try my best!


	19. Wither

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confrontation doesn't go to well

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA  
> I'M SO SORRY

*

"Majesty, with all due respect," you attempted to gather your wits in the mirror before going to confront Loki. With all of this new information, it gathered a lot of questions that needed answering. You took another deep breath and fixed your hair. "Majesty, I need to talk to you. There's some things I'd like answers to." You groaned. This doesn't need to be this hard. 

You know there's no threat with the marigold anymore. Why are you so scared? Oh yeah. He doesn't need to make fake threats to hurt you. 

He's made it clear that there are worse things than death. What would happen if he let the ink overflow? What would he do to you physically? He could beat you to a bloody pulp and then heal you, only to do it all over again-

You slapped yourself gently to get back into the zone. You placed your hands on the bathroom sink and heaved. The anxiety was dreadful. 

You left the bathroom and walked into the main space. You saw Loki coming from upstairs. The stairs you weren't allowed to tread up. He looked smug as ever, causing your gut to twinge. 

"Good evening, my child." He sat comfortably on the couch. "You're sweating beads. Whatever happened to you?" He grinned. The bastard looked over at you. "You look like you need to say something. Come, sit." He patted the cushion next to him and you reluctantly obeyed. 

"I need to um..." You ran your fingers through your greasy, unkempt hair. 

"You need to have me answer some questions about what you heard today, correct?"

"How did you--"

"I have senses superior to midguardians. Besides, thin walls, loud cries, child. If you're going to practice approaching me, you could at least be quieter so I could come in with an open mind and no further impressions." He chuckled. 

"Right. I needed to ask about Leia. Why did you take her voice? I need to hear it from you."

"I have no reason to explain myself to you, child. It was our business. Such things happen when dealing with me. Do not blame all of this on me." He waved a hand dismissively. 

You pinched the bridge of your nose with your thumb and forefinger. There was no use prying on that subject for now. "Alright then. Why did you use an illusionary plant to scare me half to death. Why were you literally pinching my nerves and hiding it by some fancy illusion that didn't have to help you in the first place? I don't understand."

"First off, they're used to track your misbehaviors so you know when to correct yourself. Think of it as a misdemeanor. Too many, and you're in trouble. It's more of a gauge for you to see how upset with me." He said. "The pain, how are you supposed to learn if you don't know what could follow?"

You were shaking with anger, struggling to keep it under wraps. "Alright then." You huffed. You were feeling dizzy. You were getting overwhelmed, the ink must be rising. You placed a hand on tht cushion away from Loki and leaned against it. 

"I suppose it's time for your ink to take a toll, hmm?" He pondered for a moment. "I think I'll let it get a little worse. I'm quite busy today. I'm simply taking a small break from work."

He stood up and walked to your side of the couch, touching your brand. 

You tensed and looked up at him. 

"It's healing quite quickly." He said. "I'm impressed. Usually those take quite a bit of time." He picked at the scab on your neck, causing you to bleed. 

He smirked when he saw small black particles coming out in your blood. 

"I think you've had enough excitement for one day, don't you?" He helped you up off the couch. "You should hurry off to bed." 

He led you to your small room and tucked you in. He muttered what you assumed to be a spell, making your head feel warm and fuzzy. 

You slowly drifted off into sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is extremely short I just wanted to get something out. Also my COMPUTER STILL ISN'T WORKING so I'm on mobile so pardon any issues with formatting and spelling


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